Divergence
by You are right . . . NOT
Summary: Jaune was ready to die when he fell off the cliff, he was tired of the war his life had become. Of course when he fell and was offered a second chance he took it. But in typical fashion, Jaune got tricked as he failed to clarify one thing: HOW FAR BACK HE WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO GO! AU of Jaune Arc's Pain! Swearing! Time Travel fic! Troubled, Grimm, Powerful, and Skilled Jaune!
1. Chapter 1

His blade clashed against the Grimm's claws, and he expertly pivoted and smashed his shield into the Beowulf's back, breaking its spine.

Pyrrha and Wiess were leading a team to attack on the other side and he and Nora were pushing back the scores of grim to keep them from noticing the flanking maneuver. Sure they were mindless beasts but Jaune had discovered since gaining or being cursed with that power that his instinct's were often right and much sharper. He could fight just as well blind as he could with his eyes wide open. Jaune was already tired and at this rate he might have to use his grim abilities if he wanted to keep going (damn Matchitehew, he may have been a crazy bastard but his powers had come in handy every now and then). He slashed through another group of grim and brought his shield to bear against a Beowulf's claws heading for his skull. He pushed the attack off and hung back for a moment to catch his breath. Nora was gleefully laughing as she blasted another group of grim into oblivion, Jaune still was trying to figure out where she got her boundless energy from.

Especially after all the losses...

Blake had never come into the massive battle against the Grimm. Political aspirations to help the Faunus in their rights had taken priority and she only arrived when she heard that her old teammates had gone to fight. She had been too late to prevent the death of Lie Ren and Yang Xiao Long. Both of whom had died holding the Grimm off from attacking the retreating squads on that field. Jaune had gone berserk when he heard and transformed, ripping into hordes of Grimm with his agonized shrieks of anguish echoing in the air. Nora had become silent until she pushed on for Jaune and Pyrrha's sakes. She had been the one to calm Jaune down and through her own tear-tracked grief managed to bring Jaune back to his senses.

Blake herself had fallen protecting Ruby from a group of grim that had crashed into the frontlines.

The report had said that her last words were, "I couldn't save her, but by god, I saved her sister."

Ruby nearly had come undone and only Jaune and Weiss' combined effort had managed to keep her from tumbling into a grief-stricken insanity. Even so, she left the war, no one held it against her and even now, Jaune believed she had made the right choice. No one had wanted to stay, they had lost so much, Jaune had tried to lobby behind the rest of his friends backs to get them to be given leave, but the ass-kicking he had received when they found out had changed his mind.

Either they all went home or they wouldn't go at all.

He began to force his way out of the past as he let his body handle the fighting, why the hell they had chosen to fight on the black and craggy cliffs when they should have been pushing the grim out of this area a week ago? They can't have been that numerous!

Well apparently they were and the soldiers couldn't push them back without help.

Just then he noticed the pack of Beowolves heading for Nora's unprotected back.

He knew a warning shout wouldn't be heard, so he had to protect her using his own body.

He flashed with his white aura and roared toward the beowolves, slamming into the pack head and both of them tumbling to the side. Jaune shot up and slashed the Beowulf major down. Nora turned to him with a 'oops sorry!' expression, even though she retained something of her cheerfulness, there was a weight to her shoulders and a depression that lingered around her aura.

He opened his mouth to tell her to be careful and-

Then a Beowulf caught him around the middle. Another slammed into his chest. The entire pack tackled him and not even Jaune with his juggernaut amount of aura could stop from being pushed.

His feet slid off the edge of a cliff.

Nora screamed his name.

He fell and knew he was going to die.

* * *

Some undefinable time later, Jaune opened his eyes.

A white light flowed around Jaune and Jaune knew he had died from the impact, or maybe shattered his spine from the fall. Probably why he didn't feel it and why he was surrounded by utter and total darkness.

'Oh well, I guess it's not too bad, I just... I left all of them alone.' he sighed internally, 'I wonder if I am heading to heaven or hell... I hope Ren and Yang won't kick my ass too badly.'

"That may not yet be the case, young hero, you may still live again." a feminine voice echoed.

Jaune whirled (he was floating, weird...) frantically scanning the black vortex he was stuck in, "What?"

"Do you want to go back?" it asked.

Jaune was sure he had died (or something) because there could be no way this was actually happening.

A second chance?

For real?

He could apologize to Nora and beg her not to tell anyone at least (he knew she would but he could try).

"Yes! I want to be with my friends and help them!" he nearly screamed.

"Your wish shall be granted then young hero..."

The white glow became brighter and suddenly there was an intense jolt of pain shooting through every nerve. His body felt like it was melting, then he fainted (or died again, Jaune had no idea).

* * *

Jaune jolted and he sat up in the seat he was in. There was the telltale hum of being in a dustplane. He stood up and looked around (he had long since gotten over his motion sickness), he notice people milling around and patted himself. His hand clattered against a set of his old plate armor.

Wait.

He had lost this in a fight to some grim in his third year in Beacon!

He looked outside and saw familiar city and forests. This was the area surrounding Beacon! But how? The Grimm's last rampage had obliterated the surrounding area and school. Jaune had almost died there himself!

Where in the hell was he?!

He heard a sentence he had heard only once before, "I don't want to be the bee's knees! I just want to be the normal girl with normal knees!"

Jaune paled and looked toward the source of the sentence.

Ruby was there with Yang.

They were 15 and 17 (again).

Jaune bolted toward the bathroom (the ships had been reformatted into troop dropships once the war had kicked up, so he had made it a point to memorize the format) and clattered against the door sliding it closed behind him. He rubbed a hand over his face and stared in the mirror.

Blue ocean eyes and his youth-filled face stared back.

THIS WAS THE SECOND CHANCE?!

He thought he would be pushed back to the top of the cliff or something!

Clearly he had misunderstood.

Jaune hyper-ventilated as he slumped to the ground. He was a teenager again.

Holy shit.

Holy Shit.

HOLY SHIT.

'Calm the hell down!' he screamed at himself mentally, 'CALM DOWN AND THINK!'

"Okay...okay." he huffed.

He drew his blade and Crocea Mors gleamed in the light of the bathroom. Jaune began to draw out his aura and to his infinite relief it responded. He tentatively felt for his grimm power and his hand sprouted the draconic bone plates cover in white signs and sigils. He flexed his hand relishing the feeling of the power running though his body.

"Okay, calm down." he whispered.

He tested his strength and was appalled at the overall lack of muscle and power in his gangly teenage form. He had forgotten how utterly abysmal his physicality was back when he was a teen. He already began to plan and draw up times when he would need to work on his endurance and strength. It had been a habit to keep his exercise and training schedule to the absolute most when he had free time. His reflexes were still as sharp as ever, but he would have to change his fighting style for now, he would have to rely on speed over power.

He sighed, at least he had his aura to fall back on if push came to shove.

'No.' he reminded himself, 'You don't want to have to rely wholly on your aura, make sure that you train hard. You can't ever be satisfied with your progress or else you stagnate.'

He took a deep breath and dusted himself off.

'Don't hesitate.' he reminded himself.

He opened the door and ran straight into a old face.

Cardin Winchester.

* * *

Jaune mused even as the boy drew away from the door as he exited, in the future, Cardin was a good and strong leader (at least after he got his head out of his ass). He had even married a deer faunus and had a son. He stood by his troops and led them to countless victories and slight losses until his fateful end at the forever fall forests. It was ironic, the place where he began to change for the better was the place where he had found death. His last words had been a small prayer for the rest of the soldiers and a whispered goodbye for his family.

That wasn't the Cardin that stood before Jaune now.

This Cardin had the underlying sneer he always wore until it had been knocked out of him. Jaune almost scowled back instinctively. This Cardin was still a bully and a racist.

"Out of the way!" He grumbled, shoving past Jaune.

Jaune shifted away and walked to the windows, looking over his old school.

A unbidden smirk raised at the corner of his lips, at least the classes wouldn't be as hard as they were before. Jaune was pretty sure he could make Weiss jealous.

A small frown made its presence known as he realized he would have to make his old friends all over again.

He glanced at the news report and scowled darkly at Roman Torchwick's face which was displayed on the screen. Jaune was tempted to hunt him down and rip in half. That petty criminal and his cronies had caused endless death and misery for his troops and by God, Jaune wasn't going to let that happen.

NEVER AGAIN.

Glynda's hologram shimmered into existence and Jaune choked back a pained growl or sob. Glynda had been a surprisingly good person to confide in when he had begun to freak out. Growing to be something of a surrogate aunt to him as well as many of the troubled. She had died along with Ozpin in the Battle for Beacon. He hadn't ever fully recovered from losing his two mentors that day.

Seeing her stern and healthy had been like being punched in the gut. He hadn't even run across Ren yet. Yang had been there but he was too freaked out to actually respond to her presence. Realizing he had this chance to fix things was something he was going to take full advantage of. Jaune closed his eyes and sat in an open seat, just closing his eyes and absorbing the fact he was really here. It wasn't helping.

* * *

He had rushed out of the ship before anyone and hid in the shadows (something he had learned to do from Blake), breathing in the fresh air and stomping down on the nauseous feeling rising in his throat. Beacon was intact and in full operating capacity, a far cry from the dull and damaged building that had remained after the Grimm had been pushed out of the area. He clenched his hands into white knuckled fists and felt his nails dig into his skin through his gloves. He pried his hands open (and his hands were already leaking blood from his nails cutting into his skin) and calmed down. He was already having a mental breakdown and he had barely been here for fifteen minutes.

Fucking hell, what was he thinking when he accepted?

Then again he hadn't known THIS would be the result.

He walked forwards when he heard the explosion and turning his head, Jaune saw his past.

Ruby and Weiss were covered in ash and dust, and Jaune was torn between hysterical laughter or sobbing as Blake (healthy and stoic as ever, but most importantly ALIVE) walked over and mentioned the Schnee company's working practices. Weiss stormed off and Blake had walked away leaving Ruby to sulk after slumping to her knees. Taking a deep breath, he walked forward and offered his hand.

"Hey that looked rough. You okay?" He asked.

* * *

Jaune wondered if this was a new version of his old motion sickness because now he felt like hurling ALL THE FUCKING TIME. Of course that might because of his present company. Ruby's eyes were bright and innocent and still young to the horror of the worlds. Still free of losing her sister. Jaune would blink and for the instant he blinked he wold see Ruby as he had last time in the future, stooped with grief and pain, begging him to come back safe because she had already lost so much and didn't think she could lose him too.

With shattered silver eyes that had turned into a dull grey.

And Ruby herself was glancing with concern at him because he probably looked like he was about to burst out sobbing. He felt like it. She hauled the conversation around to weapons and brought out her scythe. He brought out his shield in sword and lacked no respect in calling them precious family heirlooms. He tried (and probably failed) to keep his voice from shaking.

"Hey by the way, where are we headed?" she asked.

"Ah...got caught up in talking..." he said, waving his hand in the air.

Ruby gasped, "Your hand!"

He looked at his hands and cursed in his head, Jaune had forgotten he had dug his nails into his hands hard enough to cut them open. He let his aura flow into his hands and the cuts sealed up like they were never there.

The bloodstains were still there though.

"I fell and landed awkwardly on my knuckles." He lied quickly, he didn't sound convincing and Ruby always had been good at being a human lie detector, "We need to go over there, and make a right, that's where the hall should be, you can just follow me."

She didn't push but if anything looked even more concerned about him.

* * *

The introduction was at least the same (except without dealing with Weiss' insult by talking to her)and later he smiled fondly as he saw his onsie. He had forgotten how amusing him actually wearing the garment had been. Of course he wouldn't be able to sleep in anything comfortable anymore, so he simply stripped off his armor and hoodie and leaned back against the wall, still standing. He knew there would be whispers, but there were a lot more than he expected.

"What's with that guy?"

"He intends to sleep in his jeans?"

"Is gonna sleep standing up?"

"What a weirdo."

It went for a minute before Juane got fed up with it.

Jaune laughed coldly and the several people gossiping leaned away as he smiled staring straight at them.

"What? Lost your nerve? Go ahead." he mocked, he slid down against the wall until it was pressed up against his back, hunched in what would be considered an uncomfortable position.

For Jaune, it was the only way he could sleep now.

* * *

Ruby glanced at her first friend in Beacon, his eyelids lowering to hide the ocean blue of his eyes as he hunched against the wall.

He hadn't been able to look at her all that much while talking to her and when he did, the deep pain she had seen shifting and haunting his eyes made her almost gasp.

He was hurting.

Ruby may not have been the best at chatting and preferred slicing into dummies and drones rather than talking, but that didn't matter. She had a friend that needed help, badly, and from everything she had seen, wasn't too keen on getting it. She couldn't tell Yang about it, because Yang would be way too overprotective and try to kill Jaune.

Or give the boy a stern talking-to.

And Jaune was her only friend here so far...

So the job fell to her to make Jaune less...weighed down.

She didn't know how she could do it, but she would.

One because her dream as being a huntress was to help people.

And two, because the crippling amount of sorrow she saw in Jaune was almost overwhelming, and no one could hold that burden without some help.

Then Yang dragged her to meet that black-haired girl and she tore her gaze away.

* * *

Jaune woke up about an hour after sleeping, his eyes darting around and a hand poised over his blade.

Then he remembered where he was, he stood up and pulled on his hoodie and armor before padding out of the hall, footsteps as silent as the grave. He walked to the luggage area - dodging around the patrolling teachers using the rafters - and opened his pulled out his old bow, which had been lost when he had been fighting a group of Grimm Primes that broke it beyond repair. He made a mental note to get to work adding the adjustments he had designed that would strengthen the bow and keep it from snapping. He clipped it to his belt and slung on his quiver before he looked around.

He still had a full night to go before making his way back to the hall to make it seem like he had been asleep for that long.

He weaved his way outside and transformed into his grimm form. Bone plates popped out of his arm and covered it making a gauntlet. Bones began erupting all over his body, crackling and shifting to cover him like a extra layer of flexible armor. Bone spikes sprouted from his skull and pushed through his shaggy mane of hair. Finally, two black draconic wings shot out of his back, a shower of black aura splattering the ground and melting into the ground as he straightened. He absently sighed as the plates slid down his face, giving him a bone mask that only left his mouth and chin uncovered.

He rolled his shoulders and let his body loosen. Then he shot into the sky, flying as fast as he could. Jaune smiled as the wind caressed his face and he flew through a cloud, the moon reflected each individual droplet gleaming like a billion flecks of silver. Jaune stopped in front of the moon and looked at the scattered pieces. he often wondered whether or not whether it's beauty was the only thing unmarred in his life. He heard stories of when the moon was a single body. Not scattered and drifting apart and together. Jaune almost laughed, it was an apt analogy for how he felt. He was mostly intact, put parts of him had broken and he would never be whole again.

He didn't know how long he stared at the moon. He only stopped when the first streaks of dawn appeared on the horizon. He flew down and quickly changed back, he needed a cold shower to clear his head.

It sank in.

He was really back.


	2. Chapter 2

Jaune managed to sneak back in the hall just as the early risers (Jaune mentally snorted with derision) were rising out of their sleeping bags. Jaune slid up the wall, forcing his joints to pop and crack. Several people glanced over at him in slight alarm, but he honestly couldn't care less. He strode into the shower and turned on the shower to freezing cold. He let the cold water run down his body before remembering that he had access to hot water. He didn't feel like using it though, he hadn't had access to warm water in years. He sighed and stepped out his body steaming from contact with the cold water. He toweled his hair and dried off before stepping out of the bathroom in his jeans and fumbling to get his hoodie on. He clasped on his armor and then shuffled down the hall towards the cafeteria. He sat down with a plate with a single pancake, he carefully chewed and swallowed each bite of the well -made food. Jaune barely managed to force it down. He sighed unhappily at his utter lack of appetite, which had developed over the years in the war.

He would probably worry his teammates by his lack of food. He made to get up when an excitable orange-haired girl's voice boomed through the cafeteria.

"Oh! Oh! Ren! How should we get into the same team? We need some sort of signal noise! Like a monkey or a bird!" her voice carried over to him.

Jaune hand clenched hard enough to bend the metal in his hand, several people in the hall looked for the source of the metal keening as it was bent to fit the contours of Jaune's fist.

Oh god.

Oh God.

OH GOD.

He needed to go before -

"Excuse me." A calm and cool voice said.

Jaune was about ready to choke when he turned his head and saw his old (or new?) brother-in-arms.

Ren.

Lie Ren.

jaune had to look away before he did something stupid.

Like hugging his best friend. Or sobbing in relief.

Jaune throat closed and he struggled to push some semblance of air through his airways. Nevertheless, he scooted over and focused on unclenching his hand and breathing. In an out, in and out, goddammit breathe!

It was not working.

Crap, crap, crap.

Ren was still too groggy to notice his silent struggle, but Jaune made eye contact with Nora for a split second and that was enough.

"Heya, are you okay?" she asked, suddenly worried.

Jaune managed to grind out, "Fine...just a bit... stiff in the morning..."

"I'm Nora!" she chirped.

Jaune tried to smile but it came out as a pained grimace, "Jaune, Jaune Arc."

Nora tilted her head in a worried yet curious manner. Ren sat down with his stack of pancakes and glanced at Jaune. He visibly became more aware as he saw the tension wired throughout the blonde's body. He tapped the blonde's shoulder to ask him if he was alright, and was shocked to she the blonde literally jerk violently at his touch and begin to minutely shake. He noticed the look in the blonde's face and saw the pain and frustration etched in his features.

Ren made to move, he was obviously causing this kid more than an incredible amount of distress, he had never seen someone in so much silent pain.

It was like a silent scream that clawed at the soul.

"Sorry." Jaune said quietly, his body forcibly relaxing and voice coming out steady, halting Ren mid-rise, "I am just so nervous about the initiation, I have a lot to live up to and I don't want to fail."

Ren face dawned with understanding, but Jaune knew he suspected it was more than that. Jaune pretended to look at the time and got up before he stiffly made his way to the hallway, bidding a good bye to Ren and Nora while trying to contain the bile rising in his throat. As soon as he turned the corner he ran towards the bathroom in a dead, flat-out sprint. He stumbled into one of the cubicles and began to vomit his meager breakfast into the toilet. He shuddered and coughed, trying to regain control of his body, dry-heaving and retching as he didn't have anything more in his stomach.

Jaune slumped against the wall shaking and gasping and trying to forgetforgetforget the image of his brother's body as it lay in the battlefields. Jaune dug his nails into his skull and felt the warm trickle of blood make it's way down his face as he increased the pressure. The pain seemed to help him focus on something other than the emotional pain that was wreaking havoc on his body and mind. He stopped shaking and slowly picked himself off the floor. He let his aura flare and seal up the ten small cuts on his face as he went to the sink and began to splash water on his face and rinse out his mouth.

Jaune morbidly watched the blood-pinked water trickle into the drain, "Breathe Jaune. You can do this. Try to forget the past."

* * *

Jaune walked into the locker and stomped down on the wedges of pain lodging in his chest.

'I can do this,' he thought, 'Please Monty, let me do this.'

Yang.

Ruby.

Weiss.

Pyrrha.

Jaune shuffled past them with his head down and teeth gritted, if he didn't look up and have to interact he would be okay. He made his way to his locker and punched in the code before grabbing his extra provision belts and strapping them on. He began to walk towards the exit. He could this, just be inconspic -

"Hey Jaune!"

...

Goddammit Ruby.

He steeled himself as he heard footsteps and turned to face her a small grin on his face.

He instead came face-to-face with Yang Xiao Long. Her lilac eyes bored into his eyes and he instinctively stood straighter and projected his calm, general demeanor through his eyes. He barely realized he was inwardly panicking. He cleared the emotions from his face and eyes except for the tough-as-steel demeanor in his stance.

'I am not afraid of you.'

Well maybe he was, but not because she could beat him up. She couldn't, at least not at her current level. He may not be as strong as his future self in terms of muscle, but his skills more than made up for that. Also, his physicality was abysmal to him since he had a much harder regimen in the future, he had begun a work out and training menu at least two years before his arrival Beacon so he had 'some' muscle to speak of.

He was afraid because she had died, and seeing her healthy like this was the equivalent to a very painful mental slap to the emotions.

She blinked and the moment passed. Ruby was half behind Yang as Yang was checking Jaune up and down. She was trying to move around her older sister to talk to Jaune. Jaune struggled with his memories - which threatened to overpower him -for a moment before he spoke.

Jaune looked at her and murmured, "Um... Do you mind moving? I was going to talk to -"

"My little sis? I know, just making sure you're good." Yang said hands on her hips.

Jaune raised an eyebrow, "How could I be not good?"

Ruby squeaked, "No! Jaune don't -"

Yang looked up to imitate a thoughtful look, "Well you could be trying to talk to her to try to get into her -"

"You know what on second thought, I really don't want to know." Jaune cut her off quickly.

Yang frowned, "...You asked."

Jaune shrugged, before smoothly responding, "Yeah well, seeing as how Ruby looked more than mildly horrified, I thought it would be better not to embarrass her."

Yang stayed silent before laughing, "Alright then, you seem like the alright sort."

Jaune blinked and shrugged, "Well anyway, I'm Jaune, Jaune Arc."

She held out her hand, "Yang, Yang Xiao, Yang Xiao Long."

Jaune chuckled, "Clever."

Yang smirked.

Ruby pushed her way in and said, "Hey! He's my friend! Let me talk too!"

Yang smile grew and Jaune groaned, "Aren't you little too eager to talk to him sis? should I be needing to punch his face in?"

Jaune frowned, heart aching painfully as the familiar banter washed over him, "Can you at least act like I can put up a fight, I mean I can, but you acknowledging it would be nice."

Yang turned to him, "Perhaps you can show me those moves sometime?" she said seductively, winking for good measure.

"YANG!" Ruby squeaked, horrified, "Don't flirt with Jaune!"

Jaune tilted his head back slightly and assume a somewhat cocky stance and interested expression, "I don't know if you could handle it, Xiao Long. I play hard."

Yang seemed a bit startled before her eyes flashed with amusement, "Yeah that's definitely it, we're friends."

Jaune laughed (Holy crow! A real laugh...), "I would like that."

Ruby sighed, "How are you doing?"

Jaune shrugged, "As alright as can be."

'I am just from the war-torn future and been dropped in the past and am talking to your sister who died, my brother-in-all-but-blood who also died, another cat-like ninja who was practically my sister-in-all-but-blood which- you guessed it - died. Not to mention I am having mental breakdowns when I try to talk to them or anyone really. You tell me.' Jaune thought bitterly.

He turned and noticed Weiss and Pyrrha looking at him and he paused, "Oh um...hi?"

Pyrrha giggled and Weiss scoffed, "You didn't even notice us? Are you blind?"

Jaune smile turned a bit mocking while his demeanor sharpened, "Well, Ms. Schnee, you are entitled to your beliefs. Of course, realize that you are in a school of equals and if I were blind and you are here..." Jaune trailed off.

Weiss blinked and bristled at the slight, "Why you! You obviously don't know who you are dealing with."

Jaune raised an amused eyebrow, he had forgotten how prideful she was in the beginning, " Well Weiss Schnee, daughter of the manager/owner/leader of the Schnee dust company, I can't really be bothered to care too much." Jaune said airily, "Not to mention you did insult me yesterday, yet I didn't react. I suppose you can consider this my return volley, of course my apologies if you can't handle it."

Weiss flushed and opened her mouth to fire a rejoinder but Pyrrha put a hand on her shoulder, "Weiss calm down."

Weiss glared at Jaune but turned away before storming off.

Jaune walked up to Pyrrha and held out his hand, "Sorry for upsetting your friend, anyway, I hope that we can start off on the right foot, I am Jaune Arc."

She grasped his hand in a firm handshake, "My name is Pyrrha. Pyrrha Nikos."

Jaune eyes brightened (god it was sad how good at acting he had gotten overtime), "Four time champion of the Mistral Tournament? Good for you, congrats. Of course, you'll have to forgive me but I judge people based on what they do when I meet them, not what I heard."

Pyrrha's eyes widened and brightened, "I don't mind. In fact, I prefer more people didn't see me as a up and coming champion only, it can be tiresome and makes me feel like I am set in a role ."

Jaune shrugged, "I can see the appeal of a normal life, must be exhausting having to live up to everyone's standards. I come from an accomplished line of famous general of war, naturally having to live up to that legacy was a big part of my upbringing. It wears you down."

She smiled and nodded, "Yeah...Oh by the way how did you know Weiss' name?"

Jaune smirked and glanced at Ruby who blushed, "I came upon a particularly... 'explosive' encounter in which I caught her name."

Ruby grimaced, "Shut up!"

Jaune smiled wider, "Ruby I didn't even mention your part..."

Yang burst out laughing, "He got you!"

Ruby pouted and Jaune walked over and ruffled her hair affectionately, "Aw cheer up Ruby, you're still the most badass scythe wielder ever!"

She brightened at that and hefted Crescent Rose, "That's right! I can let baby do all the talking for me!"

Jaune chuckled, "I don't think talking to a gun is my forte. Tried it once, next thing I knew I was nearly under a hail-fire, maybe I shouldn't have commented on its barrel length..."

He shared a small laugh with everyone.

Just then intercom broadcasted Glynda Goodwitch, "Calling all first-years to the launch pads to the initiation, all first-years to the initiation."

Jaune smiled, "I think that's our cue."

* * *

They made their way to the launch pads, chatting amicably. Jaune was itching for some action, he need to do something to relieve the stress building in his body, this just might be the thing he needed. Some light exercise might be just what he needed, he winced at the reminder at his lack of muscle, he really was in bad shape. He got on the last pad and smiled at the familiar setup. He noticed after his freakout with Ren, he was finding it easier to accept exactly where he was.

It had struck that night, but he was beginning to accept it.

His mind wandered as Ozpin explained how your partner would be decided. Jaune repressed the pain of seeing his old mentors, but he never had truly been more relieved to see them alive and healthy.

As Ozpin explained the eye contact rule, Ruby gasped.

Huh, that shattering sound from Ruby's direction did happen, Jaune was sure he imagined it the first time around.

Jaune patted Ruby's shoulder, "Don't worry Ruby! I am sure you'll find someone who'd be ecstatic to be your partner!"

She turned to him with a small bit of hope, "Promise?"

He smiled, she was so childish at the moment, "Pinky Promise."

Everybody stared at him in confusion as he lay down on his pad with a contented sigh.

He smiled and shrugged.

Ozpin blinked and although he didn't smile, his eyes shined with mirth. Glynda sighed.

* * *

Flying through the air was one of Jaune's few enjoyments. Even in his grimm's form he reveled in the feeling of the wind caressing his face. He swooped through the air like a hunter, and in his less... human moments, he would admit to reveling in the animalistic bliss that was an action without thought.

Being hurled form a plate that was meant to launch you into a forest was more... chaotic.

This was jaune's second time, but in his past life, he was too panicked and utterly terrified to remember anything other than being pierced through the hood by Pyrrha's spear and an overwhelming feeling of relief.

Now, he felt the air whipping around his face. He laughed maniacally as he tumbled like a limbed hurricane through the air. He heard the discharge of Ruby's Crescent Rose, the shots of Yang's Ember Cecelia, and the sounds of tree's shattering and crashing in a cacophony of madness. Jaune enjoyed the few seconds of pure and utter free-flight and madness but righted himself. This time, he was face with a dilemma, he could use his wings, but that might raise more than few questions. Not to mention he later learned that they recorded the duration of initiation, which were sometimes used to advertise Beacon's expectations. Due to his embarrassing launch the first time around, he had failed to make the cut (to his relief, he was worried). He doubted sprouting black draconic wings in a spatter of black, misty aura would help him stay off the video clip this time.

He realized he was beginning to descend and cursed loudly, he was running out of time! Ideas began to chase themselves around in his head. he even put his hand on his chin and positioned himself ramrod straight as if he were standing adopting a classic 'thinker' pose.

He supposed he could always just cushion the fall with his aur -

Just then the sensation of being jerked sideways hit his upped back and he found himself pinned to a tree by a familiar spear.

"Huh. Didn't think Pyrrha would help again this time." He chuckled and wrenched the spear out of the tree before flipping off the wood and landing silently on the balls of his feet.

He twisted and stretched the kinks out of his body. Just then he heard the bushes rustle and he whirled with his blade drawn and eyes sharp. Jaune breathed a deep breath as a few grimm broke into sight. On a second though he twirled Milo in his hands, pressing the button that turned it into a sword.

The grimm that saw him howled and ran at him full tilt.

His blade whistled through the air as he slashed down.

* * *

Weiss expected the blonde to die form being launched on his back, but to her amazement (and slight awe, not that she would admit it) he laughed as he tumbled clumsily through the air like a human cannonball. She shook her head and focused on landing safely. She needed to make sure she met Pyrrha Nikos, otherwise she might be saddled with someone incompetent. She landed and skated on the ground for a few feet before coming to a standstill. The process of finding a partner was ludicrous at best, make eye contact and your stuck with whoever that may be for the next few years.

As she walked forward she almost ran into Ruby and tried to avoid her. Ruby looked dejected and just as she was about to stalk off, Ruby gasped and literally tackled her.

Weiss didn't have the time to try to push Ruby off as a black mass flew through the trees, shattering them and raining splinters on the two huntresses in training.

They both glanced at object and scrambled away.

The beowulf's body was badly mutilated, it bones were sticking out of its bodies at odd points, its stomach was cut open and spilling its entrails and blood out, and it almost had been punched cleanly THROUGH the chest.

Weiss and ruby turned with weapons drawn to see someone who they never thought they would see.

Jaune.

His hand was still outstretched and grasping a red blade that wasn't on his person when they had seen him before. Beowulf body parts littered the forest around him and two last beowolves of what had once been a pack prowled around him. In a white flash, chains made of pure aura shot out from his closed fist and wrapped around the grimm, snapping their necks as he twisted his wrist. He glanced around making sure they were all dead, an serious aura that sent chills up Weiss back as he surveyed the scene of the massacre around him.

Then the aura dropped and he shrugged casually and began to walk away.

"Jaune?!" Ruby called.

He turned just in time to see a red-haired amazon break the tree-line and stumble into the group of three.

"Jaune?" Pyyrha asked., looking oddly pleased.

"Ruby?" Jaune asked, looking confused and out of his depth.

"Pyrrha?" Weiss queried, almost grinning.


	3. Chapter 3

Jaune blinked at the three huntress-in-training as they stared at each other owlishly.

Jaune was more shocked than the rest.

This didn't happen before.

Weiss had partnered with Ruby, and he had gotten teamed with Pyrrha.

He must have been causing deviations in the timeline, he had waited until Pyrrha had arrived when he had been pinned to the tree, not to mention he hadn't encountered any beowolves in the first foray into the emerald forest. He absently rubbed his neck, where that foul concoction had been injected into his bloodstream and body so long ago. Was it because of his grimm's form effects on his body?

Either way, he had to talk, the silence was unnerving, "Are you guys teammates?"

Ruby nodded at the same time Weiss shook her head furiously.

Jaune and Pyrrha shared a glance.

"It seems you two have a slight difference of opinion..." Jaune noted.

"Weiss? Did you encounter Ruby first?" Pyrrha asked.

"Well yes, but out eyes never made contact." Weiss countered.

Jaune scratched his head, somewhat in frustration and somewhat in wonder, what could have he done that had screwed up what happened?

Well whatever.

One step at a time.

"Look how about we get moving, we can decide who's paired with who later, alright?" Jaune said placatingly.

Weiss huffed, "Fine, no point in giving other teams the time to get the relics."

The quartet began to trek through the forest and Jaune began to work over what might change since he wasn't the same Jaune as he was before. He looked around at his four future friends. He probably should mention that Grimm were going to naturally gravitate towards them, of course he wouldn't be able to explain why, and well...

He sighed. It wasn't his fault really, Grimm felt a subconscious tug towards him, which was more of a animalistic urge. The urge to challenge a great power and show your dominance over it. With the grimm blood running through his veins, it also pressed down upon him, he could actually sense power. The only problem was he wasn't able to pick out exactly whose powers it could be.

"Jaune?" Pyrrha asked, a soft hand placed itself on his shoulder and Jaune forced himself not to grab the hand and flip the person onto the floor.

"Yes?" he replied.

"Are you okay? You seem kinda tense." Ruby cut in.

Jaune smiled weakly, "Oh yeah just hoping we're headed in the right direction, you know?"

Weiss stared ahead and pointed at a familiar cave, "What's that?"

Jaune blinked.

'Oh goddammit, Weiss.' he thought.

That was the Deathstalker cave, the exact cave that Jaune had awoken the Deathstalker in.

He really didn't want to fight it again (well, to be totally honest, he kinda did, it would be a hell of a workout, but he had to put a cap on his skills, he didn't need to seem too skilled). Plus he didn't want to get anyone thrown all the way to the relic area again.

"We should check it out!" Ruby said, "It looks like the perfect place to hide the relics!"

"Um...Ruby, to be perfectly honest, I don't think that's a good idea." Jaune said.

"You have my vote to go in." Weiss said.

Jaune stared at her with a anrgy glare, "Really?"

Pyrrha looked torn between agreeing with the two huntresses-in-training and hunter-in-training. She only looked a bit more worried as everyone turned to her.

"Umm... well." She tried to find an agreeable solution.

Jaune sighed and rubbed his forehead, "Okay how's this? I go down there. When something dangerous is discovered, I can bind it back with a few aura chains and warn you guys, okay? That way if I die or something, Weiss is happy, and you guys have more time to get away."

Ruby and Pyrrha bristled, "Don't say that!"

Weiss flushed, "Why do you think that would make me happy?"

Jaune glared at her, "It seemed obvious, the moment I say something, you gave your vote to the opposite, while I could have shrugged that off, I still find it rude. Personally, you know why I don't give a damn if you're rich? Because in the end it doesn't matter. When your fighting for your life and you need support, does it matter if your rich? Smart? Famous? Handsome? Well-liked?" Jaune growled.

Weiss flinched and everybody took a step back from Jaune as his glare sharpened.

"No. Shallow things like that don't matter, you will personally care if that person is worth a damn in protecting you and keeping you alive." Jaune snapped, "If you can't look past your own petty requirements for association, you don't DESERVE to be a huntress. Now since I don't give a damn, I am going to go down there, since you are going to go down there if I don't."

He hand glowed and he began to stalk towards the cave when a hand grabbed his arm.

He turned to see Ruby grasping his arm, "You want to go alone?"

He sighed, "I don't WANT to go at all. But Weiss is stubborn enough to go alone, and despite her... 'abrasive' personality, I don't want her hurt."

Ruby frowned and took out Crescent Rose in gun form, "Well I don't care if you want to or not, I won't let you go alone."

Jaune smiled and ruffled her hair, "You know Ruby, you're a good kid."

She beamed for a second and then pouted, "Hey, I am not a kid, I drink milk!"

Jaune laughed loudly, " Damn I was hoping you would miss that, although the milk comment is a bit juvenile..."

Ruby frowned, but changed the subject, "Can we just go?"

Pyrrha butted in,"I should go too!"

Jaune shook his head, "No, there isn't enough room in this cave, two people is more than enough especially with someone as skilled as Ruby, plus I am sure she can get out in time, she's seems quick."

Ruby nodded, "My semblance is speed, I am faster than anyone else!"

Jaune nodded, "Well okay then, lets go."

* * *

Jaune hand glowed brightly, lighting up the dark cave with pale white light. Jaune saw the puddle he had fallen in the first time and was careful to step over it, it wasn't water.

It was drool.

Or condensed spit that had dripped down from the ceiling to this point. Jaune's nose could smell the hint of rotted flesh. He swallowed down his nausea and forged on.

Ruby seemed to be fairing well but as glancing at the cave entrance that seemed to be disappearing and glowing smaller, like a door closing.

"You can still go back." Jaune reminded her gently.

Ruby shook her head," I'm fine."

They progressed farther and Jaune saw the glowing stinger a few yards away and dropped his aura.

"Jaune?!" Ruby yelped.

"Quiet." Jaune ordered.

Ruby saw the glowing stinger and leapt for it, "The reli- orgh!"

That last bit was because Jaune grabbed her hood and pulled her back, "That's not the relic," Jaune hissed, "move back quietly towards the entrance; we don't want to tangle with that."

He shifted his hand - once again glowing with aura - forward and Ruby saw the bone plates and slight gleam reflected of the Deathstalker's eyes.

"What is it?"

Jaune whispered, "A Deathstalker."

Ruby blinked, "What does it look like?"

Jaune turned to her, "A huge freaking scorpion with some of the toughest exoskeleton you'll face, I have taken down my fair share, but at the moment I am out of practice; plus, I had compatible help."

They were moving back when Ruby stumbled over some loose rubble and Crescent Rose clanged against the side of the rock.

He heard the mandibles begin to clack, and he cursed.

"SHIT! Ruby run! Now!" He roared and began to glow with aura, "Tell the others to turn slightly to the left and sprint!"

As Ruby nodded and dashed out, Jaune began creating aura construct chains. His hand lashed out, and began to latch the chains to the Deathstalker and to the walls around him, creating a glowing white web of chains. The Deathstalker began to hiss in earnest and the cave shook as it moved. He knew it would hold for a minute at most but that would be all he needed to get out of there.

* * *

Pyrrha had taken the plan to run with a grain of salt; she wanted to help Jaune fight, she knew full well how dangerous a Deathstalker could be. One hunter alone wouldn't be enough. But Ruby had been firm in her command and the cave had begun to shake while a white gleam was shining from deep within the cave. So they bolted and Ruby adjusted their direction and noticed the trees had thinned, if only slightly. They ran into a clearing and saw Yang and Blake turning to them with their weapons ready. At that moment a Ursa - with a pink clothed girl riding its back - crashed into the clearing and fell dead to the floor. A boy with a pink strip in his hair had stumbled up behind her panting.

"Ruby?" Yang asked running towards her sister.

"Yang!" Ruby exclaimed happily, running towards her.

"NORA!" the orange-haired girl cried, nearly smacking Yang and Ruby in the face as she burst in on their reunion. They picked up the relics and discussed them for a moment, all the while Pyrrha looking angry and desperate.

Pyrrha was about to yell, until Yang spoke up, "Hey anyone seen Jaune?"

* * *

Jaune flipped from his tree and slammed his feet into the eyes of the Deathstalker before flipping off and landing in a crouch. The Grimm roared and swiped at the armor clad hunter with its pincers and tail as he darted around like a frenzied mouse. Jaune had already been nailing this monster with lightning arrows in an attempt to persuade it to leave, but if anything he had only made it mad. Jaune leapt over a slash and fired an arrow that lodged itself in the creatures eye before flashing into an explosion of lightning that crackled over the monster body and melting its eyes.

It lashed out with its tail and knocked Jaune into a tree which splintered and broke off. Jaune shielded himself with his aura and rolled with the momentum, barely even feeling the jolt of the trees against his back. Thank god he was more skilled this time around; if this had happened with him when he was a neophyte idiot, he would have died.

Jaune smiled as it began to throw an attack in random directions, smashing all the trees and making the splinters fly around it. Jaune found out later in the timeline that a number of the trees in the Emerald Forest had cameras planted in them to monitor the initiation. With them out of commission, Jaune could let loose and finish this fast. He grabbed his shield and pumped aura into it, mechashifting it into his signature gauntlet. He rushed in and literally ripped a pincer off the Grimm's body, then shoved the gauntlet into the remains of the Deathstalker's ruined eyes and opened his hand. Four glowing white spikes of metal shot through the Deathstalker's head as it twitched and spasmed.

Jaune then clenched his fist and sent a pulse of aura to make sure the creature would burn from the inside out. Unfortunately blood squirted from the pierced skull of the Grimm and drenched Jaune's left side and splashed onto his right leg. Jaune swore and withdrew his gauntlet before he began to walk away from the dying Grimm. His gauntlet began to lose its glow and reverted back into a blood covered shield.

"I can clean it later." Jaune muttered as he walked away, picking at his clothes with a frown.

He didn't notice the large black feather float down from the treetops to the ground behind him.

* * *

Everybody sprinted towards the direction where Weiss, Ruby, and Pyrrha had come from. After hastily grabbing the remaining relics and safely storing them.

"I can't believe you just left him alone, sis! Why would you do that?" Yang growled.

"HE. TOLD. ME. TO." Ruby grumbled.

"Why did you listen to him? You should know Deathstalkers are high-class grimm! No way he could have taken one out on his own!"

"Can we just focus on making sure he's alive?" Pyrrha cut through the argument.

The sisters huffed but quieted down. Everybody was in a mild panic, hoping that Jaune had held out long enough to be recovered. They passed by a tree and slammed into a much less sturdy object. Clad in plate armor and blood soaked clothes.

Namely Jaune.

"GAH!" he cried as he was bowled over by the two sisters.

"Jaune?" Weiss said, disbelief etched all over her face.

"Ow...Yeah?" he said sitting up.

"You're alive." Pyrrha said dumbly.

Jaune expression grew sarcastic yet fondly amused, "Wow, I never would have known that. Thank you for blowing my mind with that info."

"You fought a fully grown Deathstalker and lived?" Yang said almost awed.

Jaune rolled his eyes as he got to his feet and brushed at his clothes, "Yes, apparently I did."

"Did you kill it?" Ren asked, readying his stormflowers.

"Nah, too big, but I gave it a few good gashes and it decided I wasn't worth the trouble." Jaune said, shrugging offhandedly as he offered his hand to Yang and Ruby, who were hauled to their feet.

"Your covered in blood." Ruby pointed out.

Jaune sighed, "Not mine."

"Jaune...how did you deter it? All previous research shows those things are almost impossible to discourage." Pyrrha said.

"Magic, I don't know." he sighed, looking - for just a split-second - like an exhausted older version of himself, "Can we go?"

Ruby nodded when a large enraged screech sounded in the sky.

Jaune facepalmed, "Are you fu - he glanced at a suddenly murderous-looking Yang - freaking kidding me?"

"What's that?!" Nora said, pointing at the dark shape that could bee seen through the trees.

"Probably a Nevermore..." Jaune grumbled.

"A Nevermore?! Why the hell would it attack?" Weiss screeched.

Jaune sighed, everyone gave him an expectant look, "I was kinda thrown through a few trees...?"

"What?!" gasped Pyrrha.

Jaune cursed mentally, what the hell? Why could things not just be easier?

GODDAMMIT! A second chance was supposed to be EASIER not HARDER! He was constructing so many lies and from the singularly unimpressed looks from Nora and Ruby, they knew it.

Damn he really needed a distraction.

The sudden hail of feathers splintering the trees next to them served nicely.

"Move!" Jaune roared.

They ran in the opposite direction of the cave and soon were back in the Relic's clearing. Jaune wished he could just take to the air and kill the bird, but he already was treading thin ice with his half-assed explanation of the Deathstalker. Everyone ducked and darted as the bird fired a buckshot of feathers, trying to spear them. There was a panicked yelp as Ruby was speared through the cloak.

"Crap!" Jaune swore skidding to a stop and bolting towards Ruby.

"Ruby! Get out of there!" Yang screeched.

"I'm trying!" she shouted tugging at the cape.

The Nevermore drew back its wings, about to fire another wave of feathers.

Several things happened at once.

Jaune dove over Ruby, his body glowing with aura as he thickened it to take the buckshot that was about to fire.

Yang, Nora, and Weiss all fired their respective weapons at the Nevermore in an attempt to divert it's attention.

Ren quickly sliced the bit of Ruby's cape that was caught by the feather, Blake threw Gambol Shroud to wrap around Ruby and drag her away, and Pyrrha threw her shield over Jaune.

The Nevermore flinched as the attacks hit it and fired the feathers. One of them was knocked away by the Pyrrha's shield as Ruby was dragged away. Jaune buckled down as the feathers impacted against his body, thanking his lucky stars and ancestors he had such a monstrous amount of aura. His friends screamed in horror as where he was standing covered in dust and feathers.

* * *

"You bastard!" Yang screamed at the Nevermore, as it cawed like it was gloating.

"JAUNE!" Ruby and Pyrrha screamed running towards the dust cloud.

Just then, a glowing white arrow shot out of the dust cloud and buried itself in the Nevermore's left eye. Evrything was still for a moment, then the arrow exploded in ice and the Nevermore screamed in pain. Jaune stumbled out of the dust cloud, wisps of aura curling off his body like fire. Ruby caught him and dashed towards the spire in the distance.

"Come on!" she yelled, "We have to get to an area with better coverage!"

Jaune was fine, he had gone through much worse and he had plenty of aura, but he couldn't act like that, otherwise he would stand out TOO much.

Ugh.

He sagged in Ruby's arms and 'struggle' to get to his feet' ,"M'fine..." he made himself slur, "J'us a b't tir'd."

"Don't be stupid!" Pyrrha admonished, "You're lucky you have a large enough aura! If it was any less, you would be dead! You just scared off a Deathstalker and nearly got turned into a pincushion by a Nevermore, have some sense and rest!"

Mentally sighing and rolling his eyes, Jaune huffed, "I can't pass o't in the midd'e of inititat'n!"

Weiss nearly smacked him, "Say that sentence properly and then you can walk!"

"Can we cut with the care and cuddle session and move?" Yang said pulling ahead, "We can't let that bird catch us just yet, that rock tower will provide a better spot for us to catch a small breather and maybe lose the bird!"

"We can let Jaune down there as well!" Ruby interjected.

Ruby nearly dropped him when another barrage of feathers splintered the trees, Jaune swore under his breath. The were crossing the bridge when Nora fended off the bird for a moment. Ruby was falling behind dragging Jaune behind her.

"I CAN WALK MYSELF RUBY! USE YOUR SEMBLANCE TO GET OVER TO THE FRONT!"

"NO, YOU'LL TRIP AND THEN GET EATEN!"

"I HIGHLY DOUBT THAT!"

Then as per the usual something went wrong.

The bird dove through the air.

And at the bridge.

As they were crossing it.

Jaune shifted so that Ruby stumbled.

"Waahh!" she cried as she fell.

When she tripped, Jaune manipulated her fall and sent her skidding into the group by pushing her with a touch of aura. The Nevermore screamed at the lone hunter on the bridge and zeroed in on him, pumping it's wings to get more speed. Jaune stood straight and let a breath of his lungs, and rolled with his shoulders eyes closed; the picture of peace.

"JAUNE MOVE!" Weiss screeched.

He grinned.

Jaune body blazed with white just as the bird plowed into the bridge. Everybody gaped as in a fraction of a second he flipped, rolling smoothly in the air and grabbing on of the feathers on the Nevermore's face and using it as a hand to ride the bird. Suddenly of the howl of the bird they heard a light repeating of nonsensical syllables, and with a start realized Jaune was laughing.

"Did he...?" Ren began weakly.

"AW! I WANT TO GO ON A RIDE TOO!" Nora complained.

Everybody spared her a glance.

* * *

The group were constantly staring at the blonde-haired, blue-eyed knight that was stretching.

"Jaune? how did you suddenly have enough aura to ride a Nevermore and plow it into the ground?"

"Hm?" Jaune said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "Well, it's a part of my semblance I suppose."

"You suppose?" Pyrrha asked incredulously.

Jaune shrugged, "Think of it of a second life perk from a shooter game, if I run out I can burn a bit of my body's health for a second burst. Don't worry, I can sleep off the worst of the effects."

Jaune wasn't lying, but he wasn't exactly telling the truth either. The fact was Jaune did have an ability like that, but he had more than enough aura so that he almost never used it. He had to put a cap on his skills so that he wouldn't arouse suspicion.

He wasn't really doing to well with that and he already noticed Ren, Weiss, and Pyrrha giving him a assessing glance every now and then with his eyes narrowed.

Aw shit.


	4. Poll

Okay so I want opinions on whether or not to change the teams or not.

Also there is one for the pairing.

THERE IS A POLL ON MY PROFILE SO DON'T VOTE IN THE COMMENTS.


	5. Chapter 4

Jaune fought down the urge to fidget as the teams were being decided. He had already changed how the Deathstalker and Nevermore had been dealt with, and they could change things now in the future. He wanted to punch himself in the face.

Hard.

And repeatedly.

'Fuck! I was so stupid! What was I thinking? I need to stop being so damn reckless! I already have the ability to change things! Damn I need to research anything on changes in the time stream! I feel like my life is the plot of some author with no life and has nothing better to do than fuck with me!" Jaune thought angrily as he leaned against the wall.

He was practically radiating anger and irritation (**and** worry **and** fear **and** anxiety **_and so much more..._**).

His friends were inching away from him as the feeling increased.

"Ruby Rose, -"

Okay.

"- Weiss Schnee, -"

Good.

"- Yang Xiao-Long, -"

Jaune slumped in relief.

"- and Blake Belladonna will be Team RWBY. Led By Ruby Rose!"

Ruby was practically tackled by Yang who was exclaiming how proud she was and other things. Jaune took a deep breath, feeling an uncharacteristic swoop of anxiety swell in the pit of his stomach. His team was (hopefully) next. Of course knowing his luck, he would probably NOT be the leader and they would be led by Nora and things would just go to hell from there and -

'Stop panicking you idiot!' Jaune growled internally, 'Just relax.'

Jane sighed as Team JNPR was formed and he was named leader, receiving a punch in the shoulder from Pyrrha that made him 'stumble'. He rolled his shoulders trying to shrug off the tension twisting through his body. It was done, now all he had to do was get through the classes and do well in the combat classes. Not fantastic, just good enough to be good. That was going to be easy, he could accurately average his grades to be high B's and low A's enough to keep his parents happy...

He blinked.

His parents?

He took a deep breath, trying to quell the heartache plaguing his body so that he could act normally. How long had it been since he had seen them alive? His dad had joined the war effort along with his mother. When they had been lost...

He lost his mind.

He rampaged through for the next few days only stopping when his body literally began to fail under pure strain. The moment he had healed he went out and did it all over again, over and over until he hadn't been able to think through his exhaustion. Pyrrha, Weiss, and Nora almost weren't able to coax him out of his self-destruction, they had to call Ruby and forced him to take a furlough from the war. He had spent it sobbing and refusing to eat, to the point that Ruby broke down his door and force fed him.

He almost smiled at the memory of her anger.

It hadn't been a good month for him, when he had been able to move past the utterly crippling pain that his parents (who had raised him, loved him, and given their lives so that he could have a better one) were gone, he had thanked Ruby, planted a chaste kiss on her head and took the first military dustplane to the frontline. He was given a lot of looks but his steel persona had returned and he was back on form.

Jaune shook his head lightly, he could focus on his once-upon-a-time-in-the-future past when people wouldn't see him break down.

Just then a gentle tap on his shoulder had him whirling around, hand subconsciously slipping down to be able to form an aura chain whip-

and he was staring into Glynda Goodwitch's eyes, which were slightly wide and glancing at his subtle combat stance.

He cursed worse than a sailor in his head.

He remembered the tired mentor who had taught him so much, who he could confide in. The invincible wall of stoic strength sometimes hidden under a thin veil of sarcasm. Who worked to her last breath to defend the students that attended her school.

He swallowed a slight sob.

"Um... ('Not Glynda, you stupid fool!' he berated himself) Ms. Goodwitch?" he asked, "Do you need to talk to me?"

"Actually Mr. Arc, Professor Ozpin wishes to speak to you, could you walk with me?" Despite it being phrased as a question, it wasn't a request.

Jaune really DIDN'T want to talk to his headmaster yet, "Um, not to sound... impudent or rude, but shouldn't I unpack in my room first and get the information on where it is?"

Glynda gaze turned sharp, and all of his three teammates shifted back.

Jaune wasn't impressed, he had been subjected to those before, and at a much higher intensity. He stared back, unblinking, silently challenging and unwavering.

"I may have phrased that too kindly then." Glynda said, tone firm, "The headmaster orders you to meet with him at the moment. He wishes to speak with you."

Jaune stifled the utterly exhausted sigh, simply breathing out a gusty breath and shrugging nonchalantly, "Fine, I guess it wouldn't do to keep Headmaster Ozpin waiting, correct?"

Glynda turned on her heel and began walking away, Jaune following a step behind, completely relaxed. Waving off his team's dumfounded gazes.

* * *

'Welcome to hell.' Jaune thought morbidly as each step brought the door to the headmaster's office closer.

Each step felt like a mile. Each mile took a year. At the same time, it was happening all too fast. A wave of actions and consequence that were swirling around him. He was the eye of a storm, the storm. One that could change everything for the better, or break it all down into insanity.

'God,' he thought, smothering a small snicker, 'I sounded like a cryptic cynic.'

Glynda hand touched the doorknob and his features instantly schooled into a calm and bland expression tinged with a few hints of steel demeanor. She pushed the door open and Jaune walked inside. Ozpin was staring out the window with his coffee cup in hand.

Jaune had to bite back his laughter and mingled sobs.

Jaune walked forwards and stopped just before the chairs, hands clasped behind his back. Looking all the more like an obedient soldier rather than a carefree, happy, worried, or emotional student. Jaune is silent, not saying a word, because he knows Ozpin has planned this and any hunter worth their salt would have sensed him.

And even though Jaune is being a bit petulant and childish, the silence as he waits for Ozpin to turn around, is oddly satisfying.

When Ozpin turns, he can catch the almost indiscernible frown on his headmasters face as Ozpin takes in his soldier-like stance and bearing. Jaune bites back his smirk with practiced ease and waits blankly for Ozpin to say something. Jaune knew Ozpin cared for his students as a mentor would for his pupil. Ozpin personally hated the consequences that wars will bring on people and how they would change. Jaune can relate so he doesn't begrudge the Headmaster and top-of-the-line hunter as he sighs just a silent bit under his breath.

"Hello Mr. Arc. Please have a seat." Ozpin begins.

Jaune shrugs, "If you insist." and slides into the chair and sits down.

There is a beat of silence, and Jaune decides that they might as well get the ball rolling, because there really is no time like the present.

"I don't mean to sound rude, but could we cut to the chase? I have a team -which you assigned me to be the leader of - getting comfortable in the room, and to be frank I want some room to myself so that I can put up some photos." Jaune says, glancing at the large office.

"Yes, well, I suppose you understand why you are leader?" Ozpin says lacing his fingers and propping them in front of his mouth.

'Goddamit, Ozpin, cut to the fucking chase.' Jaune groans mentally.

"I suppose...Are you going to be having this talk with Ruby, That Winchester, any of the other teams?" Jaune asked almost nonchalantly, casually drumming his fingers on his knee.

Ozpin stills, momentarily taken aback at the question. Glynda's mouth drops ever so slightly open at his blatant disregard for authority.

"Well?" Jaune asks, his gaze beginning to grow sharp, "Why talk to me first? Am I some sort of exception? Cause if I am, I would like to know exactly what for, and what would be he consequences of my exceptional... STATUS."

Ozpin blinks and says, "Glynda could you go and collect some more dust for my coffee maker? I seem to be running low."

Glynda blinks before she huffs and leaves, closing the door behind them. Ozpin pulls out a file from his desk and within a beat, slides it towards Jaune.

"Your transcripts... they are forged." He says without even a semblance of preamble.

Jaune face doesn't give any outward reaction and his relaxed yet accusatory demeanor doesn't budge an inch, "So should I pack? I would have to leave before leading people on that I actually belong. Though I would say it was pointless for me to attend initiation, and as a school that I would believe triple checks a transcript, why let mine go through despite you knowing it was false?"

Ozpin blinks at the young man sitting before him. His last contact with John had shown Jaune to be a normal kid, not a hunter, a timid boy with a gold heart and good humor. This wasn't at all the person sitting before him. This person was a sharp and challenging (not in bad way) young man. He cuts straight to the points, leaving little small talk, and attitude born of needing the gist of a situation before making a decision. Ozpin decides to change tactics, Jaune wasn't appreciating this meaningless waste of time.

"Your transcripts are false, and yet you more than surpass them." Ozpin states, "That was more than enough to be a reason."

Jaune eyes don't shift or change and yet they bore into Ozpin with a endless glare, "How so?"

"You took out two Grimm single-handedly, two Grimm that under normal circumstances, require an average of at least 2 B-class hunter teams to be dealt with. Your aura is of higher manipulation, more refined, and is better under control than even mine, which judging from what I did gather on you, should be impossible. So Mr. Arc..." Ozpin says, "while you have all the qualifications to go to my school, why did you feel the need to fake transcripts that could have easily exempted you from joining at all?"

Jaune figures that he should stick with his lie that he told his team, "I barely managed to CHASE OFF a Deathstalker, and used an ability of mine to HELP the teams slay the Nevermore. I really don't understand how you can misinterpret that as taking out two Grimm." Jaune says, raising his knee to his chin level to rest his heel against the edge of his chair.

"Lying is very unbecoming of a leader, Mr. Arc." Ozpin says bringing out a black scroll and flicking through it before showing it to Jaune, "Does this look familiar?"

The video has lines of static running through it and the lenses are definitely cracked (damn the Deathstalker didn't completely destroy the cameras this one was knocked to the side and damaged it), but anyone with functional eyes can see Jaune punching the hole THROUGH the Deathstalker's skull and melting it from the inside out. Jaune narrows his eyes and the flick to Ozpin, who looks wholly unconcerned that Jaune's countenance is darkening like a storm without ever really changing expression. The next video skips to Jaune standing in clearing, his eyes focused and expression wholly unconcerned as the feathers rain down on him in slow motion. There is even a shot of him calculating as he tripped Ruby and shoves her to the other side of the bridge.

Jaune was tempted to punch Ozpin in the face, the man may be a top of the line hunter and a future mentor, but he is annoying as hell whenever he wants something.

"So?" Jaune said, tossing the scroll back onto the desk so it slides precisely in front of Ozpin, "What do you want? I don't have anything to say to you about what I can do, and frankly you should be kicking me out, but instead you shove this in my face. What are you trying to pull?"

"Why the false transcripts?" Ozpin again asks.

"Maybe I just did it for kicks, headmaster. Would it matter?"

The silence stretches for a good long time. Jaune met Ozpin's gaze, his head tilted back without a hint of weakness, lying was taught to him by Ozpin and he knew how Ozpin's head worked, to some degree. He was incredible. Pure and simple, he was a man that triple-checked everything a million times and then some. He would know if there were incongruent things in Jaune words, and hell Juane knew he had made them, he made sure Ozpin knew that if he had so wanted, Jaune could weave a lie, or tell the truth.

Ozpin looks down at file before the tiniest smile curls the end of his lips, "I suppose not, Mr. Arc. I would rather prefer you stay at Beacon, since you have such amazing potential."

Jaune snorts derisively, "Yeah, I am going to tell this is going to be so much... fun."

* * *

Pyrrha was wondering about Jaune exact health, psychically he seemed fine, mentally... he seems to be somewhat off. When Jaune came back, he shoved his be beside Nora's and said she could have it before huddling against the wall and letting his head droop. He stripped off his armor, jeans and jeans before pulling on some sweatpants. He placed a two duffel bags next to him and simply seemed to power down. She stared at him and shared confused looks with Ren and Nora before staring back at Jaune.

She had to offer, "Jaune are you sure you don't want a bed?"

He sighed and looked up, "I appreciate it, I really do, but I don't sleep unless I am like this. Call it a habit, but I just can't."

Ren blinked, a concerned look flitted over his features, "Jaune, I don't thin it's very good for your back..."

Jaune smirked, "I'll be fine. Oh and on another note, I can wake up myself, you don't need to wake me up. I can handle that myself.

Nora bounded up to him, "Are you sure Jauney? You don't want the bed?"

Jaune leaned and whispered into her ear, "Think of all the jumping space you'll have."

Nora's eyes gleamed, "I guess it can't be helped!" she squealed.

Ren and Pyrrha sweatdropped.

* * *

Jaune eyes snapped open an hour after he had fallen asleep.

He glanced around and relaxed, 'Now to train my aura.'

He closed his eyes and meditated, breathing in and out. His body began to glow and he felt the comforting presence of his soul responding.

"Hmmmm..." Jaune hummed under his breath.

'My aura is a bit low compared to before, as for my body, it still needs a load of conditioning before I am back to full power. I only need one to about three hours of sleep to fully function for about a week, so that means that I have a total of 165 hours in my week that isn't going to be used in rest if I sleep as much as I can...' Jaune thought as he worked to increase his aura. Although he had plenty to get through initiation, he was still used to more aura to work with.

Jaune looked at his hands, focusing hard on expanding what felt like a fraction compared to his usual amount of aura.

'School itself can take up about 3 to 4 hours if individually...then couple that with studying and I have about 8 hours of school per day excluding weekends. Which means about 60 hours of learning overall. That drops me to 105 hours of leftover time, and I still have to calculate my eating time amounts... I can eat pretty fast but my appetite is really non-existant so that can be negligible but if I want to grow to be close to everyone, then I have to put in time to spend with them... which includes mealtimes...'

Jaune pressed his hands into the floor and flipped himself upside down in order to do full-body push-ups. His aura soft glow receded from his body but flowed up and down his spine as he concentrated. He lowered himself and then propped himself back, feeling his body strain.

'Ugh so weak, thank Monty my aura can heal me up once my body is tired. Anyway, I need to think about this logically, a week isn't a good amount of time to measure by. there are twenty-four hours in a day, and so 8 hours gone plus one more equals about 15 hours left behind for my use. Normal people usually don't usually stay up so long but I can manage. I'll be generous and leave out two hour mealtimes. That - following the standard three meals per day - means that I have nine hours. I could just divvy that into four and a half hours per day, but no doubt there are going to be complications such as altercations so I will give each training session three hours each. One session for aura and one session for body. That'll leave three to six hours week-wise to spend on any unforeseen circumstances or morning rituals..."

Jaune - still upside-down - nodded to himself.

"That'll do for now, the problem is scheduling it so that I can also not seem too suspicious to anyone who decides to observe me. A regimen would be damn useful so I begin from the ground up and rework my style down from the basics and move up one rank like Ren used to teach me. Perhaps I will even go over my kata's, my hand to hand combat will definitely need to be polished, Sun Wukong could whoop my ass if he saw me slacking off like this..." Jaune murmured.

* * *

Pyrrha woke to the sound of someone showering and yawned, "Uwah..."

She glanced at the clock and did a double-take, it was only seven in the morning. The shower shut off and she heard the curtains rustle back. A minute later Jaune stepped out, clad in only a towel and using another one as he vigorously scrubbed his hair. Pyrrha flushed as steam rose in wisps from Jaune and water trailed down his chest.

He lowered the towel from his head and blinked in surprise as Pyrrha began to sit up, "Oh, morning Pyrrha, I didn't expect to see you up at the moment, there is still plenty of time before class gets going."

Pyrrha yawned and shrugged, "I heard you showering and woke up, and I don't mind, waking up early allows for a longer breakfast."

Jaune stares for a moment and shrugs before grabbing his clothes and walking back into the bathroom, "Sometimes I think you really are too nice Pyrrha."

And Pyrrha has no chance to deny this because the moment he says this, the bathroom door is swinging shut behind him.


	6. Chapter 5

Jaune sighed as he tried to get up from the table only to be held down AGAIN by a stern Pyrrha.

"Finish your plate Jaune." she practically ordered.

"But I can't! I don't have anymore room and furthermore I am not even hungry!" Jaune retorted, trying to keep himself from glaring too harshly, "Come on guys, help me out here!"

Yang smirked, "Sorry but this is some of the best entertainment I have seen since getting here."

Jaune sulked, "You guys are no help."

He hadn't expected Pyrrha to begin taking care of him this fast, it was disconcerting. His first few days at the school were good, and he mostly ignored everyone's surprised look when Jaune would eat a scant amount of food (sometimes eating only breakfast) before saying he was done. His training was already working on adjusting his body needs and muscle development (though not enough for him to use his old style yet). Combat was going to be starting today and Pyrrha announced that he was going to sit down and eat a proper breakfast (or so help her Monty she was going to shove an IV drip in his arm). Jaune tried to protest only to be glared at by Pyrrha, Ren, and (half-glared, half-laughed at) even Nora.

And with that, Jaune was seated with several pancakes in front of him and given a liberal topping of maple syrup, with a glass of milk and cutlery on the side. Jaune barely finished forcing an entire pancake down, when he stopped and sighed. A sharp elbow dug into his ribs and he bit off a curse, Pyrrha was staring expectantly at him. He didn't NEED to eat goddammit! He was completely fine, or close enough (you cant really go through a war like Jaune has and strain yourself like he has to be called 'completely fine').

Apparently his body (with help from his training) and mind retained a bit of wartime strain and he was operating just fine on minimal amounts of food. He didn't think he even could feel real hunger anymore, most of the time his hunger morphed into a hey-you-have-literally-nothing-in-your-tank-so-feed-yourself-before-you-collapse sort of pangs. Of course, Pyrrha wouldn't hear a word of it, and was refusing to let him up until classes started. Jaune looked at Nora who had just finished her stack first of pancakes and smirked.

"Ren -"

"No."

"Dammit, how about -"

"No." Blake deadpanned.

"Nope!" Ruby said shaking her head.

"Sorry, bird-rider, not interested." Yang said.

"No way." Weiss responded.

Jaune looked to the last person on the table who had just finished her second stack of pancakes. Damn he forgot how fast and how much she ate.

"Hey Nora, do you like pancakes?" He asked.

"Yeah!" She cheered.

"Want mine?" he responded.

"Don't you da-" Pyrrha tried to interject.

"Can I?" Nora asked reaching out.

Jaune slid his plate over to her, downed his milk, and got up, swaying away from Pyrrha's hand as she tried to grab him, "Thanks. Anyway I am going to limber up."

"Jaune!" Pyrrha reprimanded.

"I was full, I drank the milk over that, so be happy with that woman!" Jaune grouched, despite the smile quirking the corner of his lips.

* * *

Jaune watched intently as different people stepped up the stage. Jaune frowned slightly as his friends went up, mentally gauging how much he would have to hold back and water down his moves so that he wouldn't hurt someone.

"Would Jaune Arc and Sky Lark please make their way up to the stage?" Glynda called.

Jaune got up and rolled his shoulders, breathing out a small sigh.

"Good luck." Pyrrha offered.

Jaune smiled, "Thanks, I'll do... okay."

He walked forward, chuckling at Pyrrha's confused look. If he did his best, Sky would be crippled for life. He took a deep breath and drew his sword, staring at Sky straight in the eye. Sky held his halberd as he shifted from foot to foot uneasily, unnerved by the blonde's unwavering stare. Both took their stance and waited.

"Begin!" Glynda called.

Sky charged, sweeping his halberd sideways as Jaune swayed back the blade swishing through the air in front of him. Sky moved with his strike, pivoting on his heel jamming the blunt end of his weapon towards Jaune, who deflected the strike with a flick of his wrist. Jaune ducked around Sky and swung his fist, nailing Sky in the face before he stepped back. Sky swiped at his face, wiping the blood trickling from his split lip. He blinked at Jaune, who tilted his head in an almost inquisitive manner. Sky ran forward again and began to hack and slash at Jaune, who calmly sidestepped, dodged, or deflected all of Sky's attacks before jumping back and staring as Sky.

Again.

Despite that there was no real feeling of fighting. Other than Jaune's focus, Sky just couldn't get a good read on Jaune at all.

Almost as if Jaune was not even all there.

Sky suppressed a shudder.

"If you're not going to attack Sky," Jaune said, beginning to twirl his sword in his hand, "I will."

And suddenly Jaune was on top of Sky, who began to frantically block and dodge. Jaune looked bored. There was really no better way to say it. Despite the intensity of assault, Juane looked wholly unconcerned as if he was waving at a fly that was buzzing at the edge of his vision. Suddenly Sky couldn't move his weapon and saw Jaune's hand gripping it just below Sky's own hand. Sky's startled gaze jerked up to the blonde knight, who for once was showing emotion. He looked faintly amused.

"You should work on your speed. Other than that, good fight." Jaune commented, kicking Sky and sending him tumbling off the stage.

Everybody watched as Jaune sheathed his sword. He stepped off the stage, smiling.

"So..." He said, grinning as he sat next to Pyrrha, "Did I do alright?"

"You did great." Pyrrha replied, grinning back.

* * *

"Not bad, bird-rider! But why didn't you just blast him off the stage?" Yang inquired, "We all know you could have."

Jaune shrugged, "I think you overestimate me and I just didn't want to." he replied, sipping some soda.

"But that would have been awesome!" Nora said, "You could have been like KA-BAM and BOOM! And then that guy would have been like, 'Oh no!' and 'I am so scared!'"

Jaune laughed, and ruffled Nora's hair, "Nora, I think I'll leave the explosions to you, okay?"

Nora smiled brightly, "Okay fearless leader!"

Jaune smirked and sipped some more soda. Jaune really wasn't in the mood to talk much more than he had to, they were taking a lunch break and Ren and Yang had decided that they should have a hand-to-hand combat session. Jaune was hoping he could at least have some fun with that, CRDL - though they were still hunters competent enough so that they got into Beacon - still hadn't really grown into themselves yet. It was only around the time that Cardin nearly failed a mission that he realized he was just not doing his job right and began to put his team through their paces. Jaune had no intention of butting heads with Cardin, he could be so much more and do it sooner, he just had to approach him at the right time. This week might be a good week for it.

* * *

"So who is up first?" Jaune asked sitting on the floor of the grassy clearing.

"I am." Ren said, limbering up as he went through several stretches.

"I want in on this!" Yang said, pounding her fists together, "Aura or no Aura."

"No Aura!" We all chorused.

'We don't want the ground or the trees to be lit on fire Yang.' Jaune thought.

"But guys! My aura is a part of my style!" She complained.

Ren also frowned, "I also tend to use aura in my attacks too..."

Jaune sighed, "Okay, lets give it a shot, but I do not want to see an inferno later alright?"

Yang nodded and slid into her boxing stance, Ren lowered himself and spread out his hands. This was going to be... explosive. Jaune herded everyone back to the edge of the clearing just as Yang ran forward. She launched a kick at Ren, who didn't even bother to block and leapt into the air. He flipped once swung downward with a hammer kick, which Yang blocked before grabbing his ankle tossing him away. He flipped from the throw and landed on his hand before launching off of them and settling back in his stance. Jaune smiled faintly at the grin quirking at the edge of Ren's lips and the wide smile on Yang's face.

He had had forgotten how much fun they had.

Before everything went to hell, sparring had been something to bring them all closer together. Jaune had always thrown in everything he had, and everyone would be able to relax, they would have fun. During the war, free time had become less and less, and so their spars began to dwindle down, yet they tried to stay together. They would sit and chat, and although they wouldn't spar they would hang out around campfires and talk. It was an escape to pretend there wasn't a war raging and maybe they had just gone out on a camping trip or something. In the end, as they finally fell apart, they were times Jaune would wish they could just find a point to relax and have fun like that again.

Jaune clenched his hands.

He would preserve this peace.

He would keep them safe.

He had to.

* * *

Jaune was paired up against Pyrrha. Blake had managed to pull of a victory against Ruby, Wiess outright refused to fight Nora (much to Nora's disappointment), and Yang had been launched into a tree.

Which made her mad.

Ren had abruptly almost been smashed into the ground as he frantically dodged and ran until Yang finally began to tire herself out.

Anyway, back to the present.

Jaune was wondering whether he should try to win or not. Pyrrha specialized in grappling and bashing, inherent in the way she had a shield, her defense would be hard to bypass (for someone of her current level) at the very least. Jaune was still a helluva lot stronger than that, but he was always think and cataloguing his opponents. He took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders and shook his head. Pops and cracks began running throughout his upper body before Jaune began to twist and stretch out his mid and lower areas.

"Alright." he said, flicking his fingers just for effect and dropping into his stance, "I'm ready."

He looked to his side and saw Ren already eyeing his stance.

Well damn, he would have to be really careful.

Pyrrha set into a stance and slowly began to walk forward slightly while circling. Jaune took a deep breath.

"Restraint." he murmured inaudibly.

Almost a fiery blur, she began launching a fierce offensive, flicking out jabs and kicks at his face and chest. Jaune swished his hands in front of him in one circular motion before she crashed into him. He began to block and counter every blow as it began to intrude on the area that was within his arm length. His eyes never drifted away from her, flicking to different parts of her body although seeming completely emotionless and calm. She feinted sideways with a half-step before pivoting on her heel and landing a powerful kick on top of his guard. He closed one eye slightly as he braced himself. Pyrrha's eyes flashed as she caught the slight buckling down.

She lunged forward, catching the front of his jacket and arm; raising him up, intent on smashing him into the ground. Jaune used the momentum of her raising him to flip and twist himself hard, landing on his feet. Before Pyrrha had even been able to stop the jolt of him unexpectedly landing, Jaune was in motion. He jabbed his elbow into her upper arm and pushed out the blow; making her lose her grip, then stepped inwards, throwing out a palm thrust with a small pulse of aura, sending her sliding back. She almost stumbled but righted herself, blinking back her surprise.

"Woo!" Yang cheered, "Awesome, bird-rider!"

Ren had a look that was a cross between surprise, shock, and suspicion (Jaune mentally winced, maybe he shouldn't have used one of Ren's advanced defensive tactic to block Pyrrha's initial flurry of blows). Nora looked absolutely enthralled. Ruby had her hands gripping her cloak, a nervous tick she never really got over. Weiss and Blake both watch with veiled interest. Yang looked like she wanted to join in. He knew they hadn't really though he knew hand to hand, his build at the time was lithe and made for hit and run, despite him not having the semblance for it. Pyrrha crouched slightly and smiled widely.

Jaune twitched his fingers in a 'come on' motion.

Pyrrha blurred into motion again. She grabbed Jaune's left hand and began to turn, intending to pin his arm behind his back. Jaune twisted and threw a right at her face, tapping into his semblance. She threw out her left to knock the fist aside, wincing as she managed to throw it aside and grab his wrist and hold it out. Jaune pulled his arms in and stepped forwards, literally chest-bashing Pyrrha away from him as she let go and pushed herself off his chest using her hands. She slid away and rubbed her left arm where she had deflected the punch.

"So, Pyrrha," Jaune said dropping into an emulation of his boxing stance he had learned from Yang, he was concerned, "You okay?"

She flexed her arm and everybody blinked, there was a purple bruise splotching the skin.

She nodded, expression a bit more focused, "How did you hit so hard?"

"Now Pyrrha," Jaune asked sprinting forward, "where's the fun in telling you that?!"

Pyrrha jumped back and used her polarity to push him back. His chest plate pushed against his body and Jaune almost unclipped it as he usually would. Instead, he rolled with the push, allowing himself to seem uncoordinated. He made his roll look like he had barely teetered on the edge of being thrown on his side.

Plastering on a surprised look, he patted his chest plate, "What the...?"

Pyrrha was already in motion, hooking in and grabbing one of his shoulder pads and a handful of the back of his jacket before throwing him. He suppressed the instinct to regain control and tapped into his semblance again. He crashed side-first into a tree and slumped to the floor, everyone wincing at the shower of leaves now descending from the canopy. He got up and patted his side, forcing himself to look like the motion was a bit stiff.

"Owtch..." he heard Yang's low murmur.

Jaune took a deep breath and ran forward, getting ready to grapple, he felt the tug on his armor, but instead of letting himself roll back again. He stopped totally, making it seem like he was straining against the push. He looked over himself and saw his white armor glowing with a faint black. After a moment of the 'struggle', he grinned widely and unclipped his armor.

"I see..." He looked to Pyrrha, "you were somehow manipulating my armor!"

She blinked, but huffed as if annoyed, "Darn."

Jaune ran forwards and jumped spinning into a heel kick. Pyrrha stepped back, but instead of landing on his feet, Jaune twisted upside down, slammed his hands onto the ground, and added one more spin; slamming his kick into Pyrrha's side, before forcing himself to tumble onto the ground in a mess instead of spinning into a defensive crouch. Pyrrha gasped and tumbled back, a hand covering her side. Jaune mentally winced, that may have packed a bit more force than he intended.

Pyrrha suppressed a grunt of pain as she straightened and her hand left her side. Jaune smiled, now he could hold back fully.

He could make sure to try to direct strikes at only her injured side like an foolish newbie in hand to hand. He let an excited grin spread out over his face and sprinted forward. He jumped in the air and spun down, Pyrrha eyes widened and rolled sideways, moving just as his foot carved a divot into the ground. She spun away and saw him turning to swing at her already injured side she jumped and kicked him straight in the head. Jaune tumbled back and rolled to his feet. They battled across the clearing, Jaune steadily falling back as more and more of his attacks became predictable and countered. Pyrrha finally smashed an uppercut into Jaune's chin and grabbed him before slamming him down in a move that laid him out flat on the grassy soil.

"Ow..." he groaned.

Pyrrha said nothing, her face set into a annoyed frown as she flexed her fingers. She glanced at Jaune and pulled him up, her eyes scanning him as he rubbed his chin.

"Damn Pyrrha," he said, chuckling, "remind me not to get on your bad side anytime soon."

Pyrrha quirked a smile and everyone chuckled.

* * *

Later that day, after Jaune and the rest of Team JNPR had fallen asleep, Pyrrha glanced at her hand. Several bruises were blossoming over her knuckles. All of them from punching Jaune. He was skilled no doubt, but Pyrrha had an eye for reading people, she had to as many time she was often flattered for her skills. Many times she would be approached by people with sycophantic praise and would have to rein in her annoyance. She knew how to act and was acutely aware of when someone else was.

Jaune had been acting, very well, almost to the point that she couldn't tell.

She didn't know exactly in what way he was, but something in his demeanor just felt... off. He seemed to lose fair and square, but she saw the calculation running through his mind at a furious pace as he eyed her at the beginning of the fight. That first technique he had used to counter her first throw, that was a move Pyrrha herself was still working on, Mistralian grappling was in many ways a variation of Atlas Jiujutsu, many of the movements involved slamming the opponent into the ground and then grappling them into submission. In Mistralian grappling however, one would delivering disorienting strikes when the opponent is standing in order to keep them from effectively countering, due to their lack of awareness. How had Jaune known several counters to advanced grounding techniques and combos - that were supposed to keep him from reacting - that she was still working on perfecting?

Not just that, but several of the times she hit him, she should have only dizzied Jaune, her blows would make him stumble too much. Jaune wasn't weak enough for her blows to do that. He also seemed to be using several different stances, and one seemed to be a kick-boxing variation that Yang was using, and the other was reminiscent of Ren's stance in his fights.

She eyed the blonde knight who was napping in the corner of the room.

Jaune was hiding something.

She didn't exactly know what.

But it was big.

Pyrrha Nikos, four-time champion of the Mistral tournament, intended to find out exactly what.


	7. Chapter 6

Lie Ren was the sort of person one would underestimate.

One thing worth noting though, was that he was not someone you should EVER underestimate.

Ren silently chewed on some bread as he watched Jaune interact with Nora and Pyrrha. The action in itself wasn't weird, people like to communicate, it's human nature and even animal instinct for species to band together at times. What was suspicious to Ren was exactly how Jane was talking to them.

It was as if he had known them for years.

He wasn't taken aback by Nora's exuberance, or awestruck (or even somewhat impressed) as most people would have been by Pyrrha's outstanding credentials and achievements. Even when Jaune and Ren were the ones talking, Jaune knew when Ren preferred the companionable silence and when he preferred to chat. No one knew exactly how he was within a week or two of meeting him, and it wasn't because Ren was unusual (he hoped) or anti-social. Ren just didn't really click so well with normal society due to his preference in reading, meditation, and studying rather than acting like a child. It took someone like Nora to befriend him and drag him out of his self-imposed solitude, for him to even begin considering other friends.

Yet Jaune never minded his silent demeanor or his slight chilly attitude, acting as if this was par for the course. As much as Ren liked Jaune for being so non-confrontational, there was no way he just knew how they would act from the get go. When Jaune wasn't looking Ren was observing, ever since Jaune's near meltdown before initiation, Ren had been watching. Jaune - despite being a mere seventeen - would sometimes slip slightly and slump, walking with a sort of deep-seated exhaustion that made even Ren falter. He noticed when Jaune would stare at his friends when they weren't looking a sort of grieving longing that made Ren want to reassure the blonde that things would be okay. And Jaune barely slept, Ren had watched Jaune - more than once, practically every night - slip out after they were all asleep and not return till morning.

Ren liked to think he was at least somewhat competent at reading people and seeing the leader of his own team fighting a personal problem that seemed to be killing him from the inside out was bad enough, what made it worse was the length Jaune went to make sure his team was oblivious to it(despite Jaune failing miserably at it). Because of that Ren decided to help, of course that came down to whether Jaune would accept his help.

* * *

Jaune poked at the remainder of his food lackadaisically as he absently chatted with Pyrrha about the school curriculum. She seemed excited and he tried to show some level of enthusiasm, which wasn't easy as he was a twenty-nine year old attending classes he had finished eight years ago. He swears there wasn't this much work before. He had a paper in front of him and was scratching words in using a pen. He finally finished and dotted the last period on the page before shoving it in his bag. There two WHOLE weeks worth of work under his belt and he now had more free time.

Still...

He.

Hates.

Homework.

Pyrrha patted him on the shoulder, "Done?"

Jaune smiled weakly, "Yep, I don't even know how identifying the different fur shades of beowolves will help me in a fight against them..."

Yang nodded, "I know, all they need is a good punch to the face and they go down."

Jaune shook his head with a fond smile, "More or less, but I swear, they give us homework just to spite us, no other legitimate reason."

Jaune's scroll beeped and he fished it out of his pocket, glancing at it before doing a double take.

He sighed in annoyance, "I gotta go."

Pyrrha noticed his less-than-half-finished plate before glaring at him, "Jaune you did-"

"Sorry-gotta-go-bye!" he mumbled before dashing out of the cafeteria.

* * *

Jaune strolled out and delivered the stack of homework papers for the next two weeks to the appropriate slots. He made sure Ozpin knew he was going to spend is night out on the town, besides, he'd bet a leg that Ozpin didn't care. Not because Jaune was unimportant, but because he could take care of himself. Jaune got onto the dustplane and sat down as it took off. He stared out the window, gazing at the passing landscape, a somewhat amused smile on his face.

Getting over his motion sickness had been a war and a half. He used to use a pretty effective medicine before he began weening himself off of it. Surprisingly enough, it worked (much to the shock and skepticism of any medical official). Jaune took a deep breath and leaned his head against the cool metal of the railing. He could now understand exactly how people felt that the thrum of the engines were relaxing. He had only forced himself over his motion sickness due to the war and at that time, flying was usually associated with a howling roar of the engines and explosions or screams.

Jaune reveled in the quiet. Closing his eyes and listening to the hum of the engine.

* * *

Jaune walked out of the airship and walked out into the town, taking a deep breath.

Jaune had come here to help his sensing abilities. It was too dangerous to try it in the emerald forest, despite how strong he was. He just couldn't train in a stressed environment, not back in the war, and not now. He needed to take this slowly, he barely had a handle on his grimm sensing as it was, he never had the time he needed to fully control it when the war kicked off.

He had time now, so he was going to use it.

He tapped into the sensing abilities of his grimm form, letting his senses stretch out and feeling the multiple sparks of every civilian. Jaune had experimented with his abilities, not enough to get the full grasp of what it could do, but he could differentiate the feeling he got from grimm, human, faunus, and animals. Depending on how 'bright' or 'potent' the spark he was sensing, the more powerful. Jaune looked around when he felt a small spark of a faunus surrounded by three human sparks. He briskly began to walk towards the alley it was coming from.

Jaune walked in to see a wolf-eared young boy shivering and his hands covering his head as three men who were obviously drunk loomed over him, mocking sneers on their face.

"Lookie here, a little faunus runt." one muttered.

"Least he is staying in the trash, where animals like him belong." another laughed.

The boy tried to scramble away, but one man caught his shirt and threw him deeper down the alley, "Where are ya goin? Eh trash?"

"Leave me alone!" He yelled, fear shaking his voice.

"Or what runt, you'll attack us?" One man jeered, picking a metal pipe from the floor.

"No." Jaune said, voice low and cold, "I will."

The three men whirled to see Jaune's figure outlined by the streetlights. The man stumbled back as Jaune allowed his eyes to flash violet and red randomly. Black smokey aura began to flow into the alley, darkening it for effect and making the men huddle closer. The shadows started to grow and shift, the men swore they saw red eyes gleaming everywhere. The man with a pipe began to hold out the pipe, shaking.

As if they could protect themselves.

Jaune took a step into the alley and the man took an uneasy step back, "Go away, you monster! Or we'll kill you!"

Jaune smiled coldly, his voice beginning to take on the grating tones of his grimm form as he whispered almost seductively, "You speak as if could kill me. Weak, pathetic... Cowering like little animals of prey. Do you think you can escape me?... I can smell your fear... so intoxicating..."

Now, Jaune couldn't actually smell their fear, but it damn well sounded like it. A lot of what he was doing was psyching his foe out with threatening talk. Back in the war, Jaune had grown famous as he had taken on rouge hunters, terrorists, he had even talked opposing generals into quivering messes of fear and tears. If that didn't work, Jaune would usually disarm his opponents or knock them out. Most of the time, he could take prisoners with minimal casualties. Other times, the blood staining his hands had been human and faunus.

The first time he had been sick and refused to do it again.

Now, any human or faunus murder was a dull ache in his chest, never easier, but sometimes it must be done.

The man noticed the boy and lunged to reach him, intention clear.

Jaune twitched.

The man's wrist was suddenly grasped in an iron grip, slowly being crushed under the pressure. He screamed and tried to pull away, until he was socked across the face and thrown bodily out of the alley, his unconscious body tumbling onto the sidewalk. One of the drunk men rushed Jaune, aiming a sloppy punch. Jaune moved under the clumsy attack and pressed the back of his hands to his stomach, hunching as he felt a heat resonate and flow through his body to both his hands.

"Prana!" Jaune growled, "Naibu shokku bakuhatsu!"

Using a technique that Ren had taught him that utilized Prana (or Ki, as Ren had put it) rather than Aura, Jaune blasted the man clear off his feet and onto the curb (non-fatal at all but a lot of pain). It wasn't as devastating as usual since Jaune had pulled back all the power, normal people with no way to defend would have probably have two holes blown through them. The last man had swiped up the pipe and brought it down on Jaune's head only for it to shatter as Jaune's head glowed with aura. Jaune spun and slammed his foot into the man's ribs flattening him against the brick wall. Silence reigned in the alleyway except for the faunus boy's soft breaths and whimpers.

Jaune turned and walked up to the little faunus before kneeling next to him. The boy trembled violently as he heard Jaune move closer.

"Please don't hurt me!" He whimpered.

Jaune placed a hand on his head, ruffling his raven hair, "I won't. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

He looked up and Jaune got a good look at the boy. He as skinny, not malnourished, but clearly needing a bit more food than what he was getting. He was wearing a grey shirt two sizes big, judging by how it slipped to his thighs. He was wearing tiny black drawstring pants which pockets were clearly stuffed with scraps of whatever he thought he could use. He was slightly tanned, and there was a bit of mud and grime smeared on his cheek.

He couldn't have been older than 11.

It made Jaune want to weep.

The boy looked at Jaune with careful hope, simply staring at Jaune with leaf green eyes, "N-no... They were going to, but you stopped them."

Jaune frowned as he felt the boy's skin, "Your freezing kid. Do you have a home?"

The boy nodded, "I live with a few more of us at the building."

"Us?" Jaune asked.

"Yeah, a few more faunus kids." The boy said.

"I see. Can you tell me your name?" Jaune asked helping the young kid to his feet.

He nodded, flushing in embarrassment, "I'm Lupus."

Jaune quirked a smile, "Really? Well, I am Jaune. What do you have in your pockets?"

Lupus glanced at his bulging pockets, "Not much. I try to find what I can, but usually it's metal scraps and some cloth."

Jaune nodded, "I know I am not a faunus, and I am an old guy, but can you take me to where you live?"

Lupus frowned, "I don't know. Everybody else may be scared of you."

Jaune rubbed his chin, "Okay... what do you really need?"

"Huh?"

"What do you need? Right now, what do you want for your little family?"

Lupus blinked, "I... I... guess I would like some blankets..."

Jaune smiled, "Wait here."

* * *

Jaune carried the blanket tucked under one arm, held a bunch of canned foods in his hands, and clothes in a bag slung over his shoulder. Jaune had spent the better part of an hour buying some clothes, a blanket, and some long lasting foods for the little faunus boy. The three knocked out men had been thrown inside a motel lobby with little regard. Lupus convinced Jaune to follow him and said he would convince his friends that Jaune was a good guy.

So, that was how Jaune turned into a human mule.

Lupus ran ahead as they reached a small warehouse on the docks that was in desperate need of a paint job. Or some construction overall.

Lupus pressed his hand against Jaune's knee, "Wait here!"

He ran inside as Jaune waited. Voices whispered something just too unintelligible to be heard. After a minute, Lupus ran back outside.

"You can come in!" He cheered, looking supremely pleased.

Jaune walked in and was immediately swarmed by a few faunus.

"Don't move!" One yelled, baring his claws and holding them at Jaune's leg, "Otherwise you lose your leg."

It was cute, if it weren't so sad.

Jaune placed the foods, blankets, and clothing down before kneeling in front of the boy, who was scared stiff.

"I am not going to hurt you." He said, patting his head, "Okay?"

The boy stared at him and Jaune stared back.

A small bit of trust was tremulously extended, the boy lowers his hand.

"Okay." The boy said, seeming satisfied at what he found in Jaune's eyes.

Jaune was sitting at the edge of the warehouse watching the kids eat with a sort of desperation that made it seem like their last meal. He had been surprisingly content just spending his two hours he had set aside for his sensing training in getting to know these kids. There was a deer faunus named Mikey who seemed trusting and kind, warming up to Jaune almost immediately. A leopard faunus - coincidentally the one that threatened to slice Jaune's leg - named Julius, and a few others who simply skittered away from him, all females.

His luck with the ladies never changed, always unpopular.

When he handed the food Julius popped the cover off the can with his claws and was about ot grab the fruit slices inside when Jaune held out a bowl.

"Patince please." he had said.

He shook off the events of a few minutes ago.

'What am I doing here?' Jaune wondered.

He was thrown into a past he wasn't prepared for, and meeting all of his old friends. He should be training and hunting down criminals who made life hard, instead he is doing random acts of charity for anyone who needs it.

But he was tired.

So so SO very tired.

He didn't have to do anything, he could just up and leave. Try to move to another country and pretend that he wouldn't be leaving Vale to turn to a hell-on-earth.

He was hell at being a coward nowadays, he hadn't been a coward since his first year at Beacon.

Running to live another day... a plan he could get behind... it was so long ago when he had said that.

With a small groan he leaned back a bit harder against the wall, he was really regretting coming back.

Suddenly he was snapped out of his reverie by Lupus running at him, "Jaune? Are you okay?"

Jaune shook his head like a dog and smiled back, "Yeah just a bit tired." He checked his watch, "I have to go."

Lupus ears flattened against his head, clearly unhappy as he looked down, "Oh."

Jaune got up and put a hand on his head and ruffled his hair, "Cheer up shorty," he chuckled, "I'll come by for a visit, when I can okay?"

The boy gaze snapped up, his expression radiant, "You promise?"

Jaune held out his pinky, "Pinky Promise."

They boy wrapped his smaller digit around Jaune's and smiled.

* * *

Jaune was stepping out of the dustplane only to be accosted by his friend.

"Jaune? There you are!" Pyrrha said rushing over, "You were gone for so long, we were beginning to get worried! We were giving Beacon one last check!"

"What? Why?" Jaune asked, feeling out of his depth.

She gave him an unimpressed look, "You left without telling us and then weren't anywhere you usually would be. We are your friends, we didn't like that you were gone so long. Nora was all for asking people about you and rushed off asking dozens of people."

Jaune blinked, that was unexpected.

Nice, but unexpected.

Jaune smiled, "Don't worry about me Pyrrha, I can take care of myself, but thanks. Next time though I'll mention how long I'll be out, okay?"

Pyrrha pursed her lips and nodded, "Fine, but please do, wouldn't do to have Team JNPR down a leader."

Jaune chuckled, "I am sure you or Ren could step up to bat and the team would run just fine."

Pyrrha shot him an exasperated look, "I doubt that."

"Then you need to have confidence in your own abilities. You are great Pyrrha, and not because you are a champion of a tournament, but because you care and are willing to go out of your way to help someone in need." Jaune said clapping her on the shoulder, grinning widely, "People with your sincerity and innate kindness are few and far between, I am glad to have met you, and proud to be your team leader."

She looked at him in surprise, just a hint of red dusting her cheeks.

"Thank you." She said softly.

"No problem, just calling it as I see it, now lets go find Nora before she breaks something, from what I've seen, Ren only helps curb the urge she has to smash things." Jaune said, walking in the direction of the courtyard.

"Sure." Pyrrha said, "By the way what were you doing in the city?"

"Ah, well..." Jaune mumbled, rubbing the back of his head in an embarrassed gesture, "I was kinda helping out a few faunus kids I found, the needed some help, so I got them clothes, blanket, and a few essentials..."

Pyrrha smiled, "If anything Jaune, I think you are kind."


	8. Chapter 7

Jaune watched Cardin absently lean on his mace as he waited for Jaune's match to end, looking disdainfully at everyone else. Jaune snorted mentally as the robot drone he was fighting threw a flurry of punches towards him. Jaune knew the date was approaching in which Cardin would begin bullying others, he had known because Jaune had been picked on due to his relative weakness when compared to pretty much anyone. Cardin knew better than that when he tried to shake Jaune down 'for homework help' the first time. Jaune slammed Cardin with some of his killer intent and Cardin hadn't been able to run fast enough away.

Jaune waited for Cardin to get around to really bullying before confronting him, it wouldn't do any good to try to fight him before that or force Cardin to see that the Faunus were good an worth being fair to. Jaune - in the meantime - had to find a secluded place in order to practice to the fullest, he couldn't just decimate the training drones, the other hunters going to this academy needed them. He also couldn't find a clearing near school where he could train with his grimm powers either due to the fact his 'practice' would probably change the landscape, and he was getting restless as the bestial and chaotic energy coursed through him. Before, he could vent power on the grimm, but now he had a team and only third year hunters (leader or no) could even enquire about solo missions. Now that he had a room and was fully expected to bend to the curfew rules, he couldn't even fly around at night.

"Dammit..." Jaune growled as his fist crumpled the metal of a drone's head before sending it flying off the stage.

The drone fell back and there was a thunk as it's body impacted the floor of the arena. Jaune sheathed his sword with a sigh, rolled his shoulders, and made his way off the stage. The moments the lights brightened, Glynda stepped forward with a speculative gleam and Jaune stopped, waiting.

"Good job Mr. Arc, keep up the good work." she said.

Jaune nodded and walked off the stage. He sat on a bench and closed his eyes, leaning against a wall as he tried to restrain the itch of anger flowing just under his skin. He watched the arena as the next two combatants made their way on the stage. He felt a soft hand pat his shoulder, and Jaune turned to see Pyrrha sit next to him with a worried frown. He appreciated just how much his team cared for him; he had made good on his promise to spend more time being closer to his friends, and to his surprise, it was going fantastically. Despite how long he had been in a war, it wasn't nearly as hard as he originally thought it would be, partially due to the fact that he knew all of his friends from before. Pyrrha seemed especially happy to spend free time with him as they would chat about anything that came to mind. Nora would be bouncing around, squealing about all the topics as she usually did, Ren a half-step away and smiling. Jaune made an effort to become the leader and friend that could be trusted and could bear the burden of leadership.

And even through Team JNPR was beginning to grow close knit and family-like, Jaune made time for the members of Team RWBY. He apologized to Weiss (despite Ruby's 'you were right though' protests) formally making sure that she knew he was sincere, spent time in the forge with Ruby as they both upgraded weapons and shared snacks (which often led to an almost-wrestling match over the last sweet), fired jabs and jokes with Yang (who seemed ecstatic that she finally had someone who could fight on her verbal level), and discussed literature with Blake (since he had gained an appreciation for books in the years after Beacon and before the war really kicked off).

In the back of Jaune's mind, there was a tiny voice. A leak that refused to be sealed.

'How did it go so wrong?'

'Look at the time you are squandering.'

'How can you even look them in the face after you failed them all?'

'You're no friend, your a failure.'

'They won't ever really accept you.'

'While you waste time, the darkness is growing stronger, are you ready?'

'Fool.'

"You okay you seem vaguely stressed, you okay Jaune?" Pyrrha asked, startling Jaune out of his increasingly depressing reverie.

"Yeah, just a bit... restless." He said, rubbing a hand over his face, "I think I need to find a quiet place to meditate."

Pyrrha smiled understandingly and sat down next to him. Jaune smiled and cracked his neck before letting his gaze go back to the arena. After watching the two hunters fight for a bit, Jaune realized Pyrrha's fingertips were still lightly resting on his hand. Jaune blinked, it was a nervous habit of Pyrrha's, to unconsciously rest her hand in contact with someone who she trusted. Jaune had been one of those people in the future, but that was still quite sometime away.

Although in all fairness, he had grown quite close to the red-headed spartan faster than he ever thought possible.

"Um... Pyrrha?" He asked.

"Yes?"

"Your hand..."

She glanced down, blushed a shade of red that matched her hair, and moved her hand as though it had been scalded, "Ah! I am so sorry, I didn't notice I did that!"

Jaune smiled, "Hey, don't sweat it. I don't mind."

Pyrrha clasped her hands in her lap, nodding absently.

Jaune sweat-dropped, "Seriously Pyrrha, don't str-"

Suddenly Ruby plopped herself next to Jaune on his other side.

"Hiya!"

"Hey Ruby, what's up?" Jaune asked, sparing Pyrrha another glance.

"Just waiting for my match, then I can have some fun!" she cheered.

Jaune laughed and then ruffled her hair, something that made her pout and giggle at the same time. He fished out his scroll and began to tap on the screen, smiling at Ruby who was running a hand along the red metal of Crescent Rose. Jaune checked the investments he had been making and grinned widely. Weiss had drilled into him the learning of business and proper Heir etiquette in the future (Jaune was clueless as to why but he went with it), and surprising Weiss he had a knack for investing and money-making. Several of his ventures had paid off as he had already had a increase in money.

Jaune shut off his scroll and slipped it back in his pocket.

* * *

Jaune flipped upside-down and caught the bar under his knees, hanging upside down for a second as he placed his hand behind his head. Sweat dripped up his face as he began to curl in on himself, again and again. Jaune stopped and let his arms dangle after his set, expelling a breath of hot air. He let the blood flow towards his head for a moment before letting his legs go limp and slip. Jaune tumbled towards the ground and landed in a crouch, his entire body burning in exertion. Jaune rubbed an arm over his forehead, trying to rub away the perspiration dripping down his face. He had been at this for half-an-hour and was pleased to notice that his body was already at 38% to 45%. He heard a low whistle and saw Yang leaning against the doorway.

"Damn bird-rider, didn't expect to see you here!" She said, eyeing his abs.

Jaune chuckled, "You could have told me, I would have left so you could practice."

"And miss the eye-candy? Hell no."

Jaune rolled his eyes and pulled out a water bottle from his bag before downing about a third of it, "I really don't think I am eye candy."

Yang snorted, "Trust me bird-rider, I may just have to give you a new nickname."

Jaune laughed, "I like bird-rider! It's better than -" Jaune cut himself off and froze for a split-second and suddenly looking down.

Yang blinked, "Jaune?"

He looked up with a small, hollow smile, "I'm fine, Yang. I'll be just fine." He walked past her and gave her a pat on the shoulder, "I'm done here, you can have he room."

"Jaune, I -"

Jaune pulled out a white undershirt and put it on before shouldering his bag, "Bye."

Jaune was about to walk away when a hand clasped his shoulder.

He turned to see Yang looking at him with concern, "Jaune, you can talk to me - well any of us really - if you're troubled. We're here for you."

Jaune smiled oddly, "Thanks... I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

Jaune lay on a flowerbed garden next to Beacon, staring at the sky. He had forgone telling anyone and just wanted to be alone. Ren had shown him this place back in their second year and Jaune had frequently used it as a place to catch a quick sunlit nap if he had the time. Jaune felt sleepy just being in the general area. Regardless, he was too stressed and wired to even try to catch a nap.

'I am a freaking idiot. I need to keep calm and try not to talk with them as if we had spent years together. Sure, we are friends, good ones, but we aren't family...' Jaune thought closing his eyes in melancholy, 'I don't know if they'll ever let me be family.'

It was a valid concern. Jaune hadn't had so many secrets back then, the largest being his forged documents which he eventually told everyone about. He really didn't have anything WORTH hiding. Now, he had more than a few skeletons in his closet and they always seemed to be dragging him under the crushing dark.

"Penny for your thoughts?" a cool voice called snapping Jaune out of his reverie.

Jaune turned his head to see Ren slide down into a cross-legged position next to him.

'Figured it would be him.' Jaune sighed mentally.

Jaune then plastered on a small and amused smile, "First the training room, now the outside? I may have to construct a little house for just me with a lock."

Ren smirked, "A simple lock would keep Nora out from visiting her friend if she wanted to?"

Jaune frowned at that, "Good point."

Ren leaned back and set his weight on his hands, "So, you gonna tell me what's wrong?"

Jaune sighed, "It's just school stress, I'll get over it."

Ren gave him a stern glance, "Jaune..."

Jaune pulled out a handful of grass and dropped it back on the ground, closing his eyes, "Does it matter? It's related to school, and given enough time, I can get over it. I really don't have much of a choice, I won't let myself fail."

Ren slouched in disappointment, "You don't want to rely on us, you don't trust any of us?"

A pregnant pause.

Jaune laughed, except it was void of any humor and filled with aching sadness, "If you knew how much I trusted you all... Monty almighty, Ren, if it came down to it, I would die in your place, for any of our friends. Never ever doubt how much I trust you, or anyone of our group."

Ren blinked, sure he and Jaune were friends and he had gotten along fantastically with the blonde knight, but there was always something that pained Jaune. That - in turn - worried all of his friends to the point they asked Ren (since he was a guy) to try to help him or figure out was bothering him. Ren assumed he was having leadership issues or something like that, but it wasn't. Jaune's sentence rang with sincerity, he already felt - no he KNEW - he would readily sacrifice himself for their sakes if the measure was that desperate. Pyrrha, Ruby, and - surprisingly enough - Weiss were especially adamant about helping Jaune (and Ren assumed it had to do with him willing to fight a Deathstalker alone to keep them safe). But Jaune was refusing to let them help, and that was frustrating to no end.

'How can we help you if you won't tell us you need help?' Ren lamented.

Jaune sat up, eyes blinking confusedly. He look down his hoodie and reached inside before - to Ren's shock - pulling out a small garden snake.

"Oi! What were you doing down there?" Jaune demanded of the small, green, snake, which began to wind itself around Jaune's fingers, tongue flicking.

In all honesty, it looked like it was cuddling his hand.

"Jaune..."

Jaune blinked, looking at Ren, "Oh yeah, little fun fact, I have a certain... connection - I suppose - to reptiles. They won't hurt me, most of the time at least."

"Are you a Faunus or something?" Ren asked in almost relief, since that would be a great explanation for why he was worried.

Jaune rubbed his chin, a thoughtful look on his face, "I don't know. Maybe?"

"You don't have to worry about us, none of us would have anything against Faunus." Ren assured.

Jaune blinked looking confused, "I know. What, is there a problem?"

The snake had decided at this point to try to crawl back in Jaune's hoodie and Jaune began yelping as it slid in his sleeve.

* * *

After five minutes of Jaune trying to grab the snake( hopping and jumping on the spot) before it slid out the back of his hoodie and slithered down his leg before disappearing into the grass, Jaune decided he had enough of the great outdoors. He trudged back inside and made his way to his dorm room, scowling at the green-clad boy who was still stifling his chuckles (he had been laughing hysterically while Jaune danced around like a loon).

"One more chuckle, Ren, one more, and you will find hundreds of reptiles giving you a full body massage." Jaune threatened sullenly.

"You wouldn't dare." Ren growled.

"Try me."

They glared at each other for a moment before their expressions eased and they both laughed. As their laughter descended into a comfortable silence, Jaune pondered on the conversation he had with Ren.

Are you a Faunus or something?

Jaune was sure he was under the 'or something' category.

He absently rubbed his neck where that grimm concoction had been injected into his bloodstream all those years ago.

It had changed him.

His aura reacted to the formula, melding with it to the point where it changed his body composition. Before he had been exposed, his aura was unnaturally strong and versatile, and when it combined with something that was made from a soulless/aura-less beast like a grimm, it could have manifested in many different ways. However, it instead stabilized and strengthened his body instead of breaking his sanity and then killing him, which had happened to other test subjects, judging by Matchitehew's stereotypical monologue as he injected it (seriously every cliche villain and occasional hero does it). Basically, it increased all of his base physical attributes, he was stronger, faster, more durable, had better hearing, and smell. He also gained unnaturally good instincts, almost to the point of preflex. The shadowy black aura that manifested afterwards was an entirely different one from his normal semblance and aura. Although it could be used in conjunction with his white aura, it was also it's own separate entity.

So Jaune had two auras, and with them two semblances.

And a Grimm form...

Yep, definitely an 'or something'.

* * *

Jaune took a deep breath as streaks of dawn painted the sky. Today, Cardin would be fighting him and beginning his bullying in earnest, finally taking more violent action towards the Faunus, Jaune had been intervening and making Cardin scamper away before feeling Jaune's anger. Cardin would no doubt actually try to hurt him or be too terrified to throw an attack. Jaune hoped for the first, he could make do with the second but if he wanted to actually help Cardin as a person and not just seem overbearing, he needed Cardin to show he could fight against a powerful force.

In the literal sense, Jaune.

In the metaphorical sense, his own prejudice.

Jaune knew Cardin had a kinder side to him ,but he was raised like most of those who come from a noble upbringing.

'You're better than everyone.'

Jaune wanted to show him that frankly, that wasn't true. The first step was showing that he could be beaten but not without effort. Granted, Jaune could wipe the floor with his ass and then repeat except use his face, but that would only serve to humiliate Cardin and make him resentful.

Jaune sighed, sometimes he wondered if evading death was worth this.

Although, then again, his help-as-many-as-possible complex might just be the reason he was given another chance.

* * *

Cardin blew out a deep breath and heaved his mace up back into his two-handed grip.

'Goddamit still no effect!' Cardin growled in his head.

Jaune was fast as hell, tough as a tank, and seemingly as strong as a tank as he had been able to block several of Cardin's strongest hits. But what was scary about this bout so far, was that the blonde knight looked serious about this. With Sky, Russel, or Dove he looked bored, and most of the time he would seem like combat was boring.

In this session, though, his eyes never strayed from Cardin's and he was completely silent. As though to tell Cardin he was completely focused. Cardin was also confused, because all throughout his fight, Jaune had been striking minimally. He could definitely overwhelm Cardin with a flurry of blows, but he didn't seem to want to simply hand Cardin his ass. Cardin noticed that Jaune was making him definitely settle into a faster paced fight, but at the same time, helping adjust his stance by throwing small jabs at spots that Cardin knew he was leaving open.

Jaune was actually forcing him to fight better without words or instructions.

Cardin was tired, He had tried to use his explosive strike, a spinning feint swing, and a multitude of attacks he usually tried to keep from using due to the fact that they ate up his aura like a starving man. Jaune had evaded, blocked, or directed each strike away just so that it would be completely negated. Cardin's checked his aura and knew he was about to dip into the red.

He sighed and rested his mace on his shoulder.

Jaune relaxed slightly and tilted his head.

Cardin ran forward, mace glowing.

Jaune smiled.

As his once-upon-a-time mentor had said, 'It's up to you to take the first step.'

Cardin had done just that.

"Good fight Cardin, you learn fast." Jaune said as he brought his sword - glowing with aura - up and parried the strike before slamming the edge of his shield into Cardin's chest and knocking him flat on his back.

* * *

Jaune was walking with his friends to dinner when a shout caught his attention.

"Oi, Arc!"

Jaune turned and his friends waited, they saw Cardin walking towards him with his team trailing behind them. All of his friends stiffened.

CRDL reputation hadn't been the best, they were already racking up rumors of being bullies and jerks. Everybody though Cardin would try to hurt Jaune since he hadn't beaten him in class.

Jaune waved his freinds on, "It's okay, save me a spot at the table okay?"

Pyrrha hesitated, "You sure?"

Jaune smiled, "Positive."

Jaune walked up to Cardin, "Heir Winchester, what can I do for you?"

Cardin scowled, "What were you playing at Arc?"

Jaune frowned, "What do you mean?"

"You know damn well what I mean!"

"Is it about the fight?"

Cardin scowl grew more angry, "You toyed with me."

Jaune raised an eyebrow, "That wasn't my intention and we both know that, you're not stupid Cardin. You just need to use your head instead of cruising on other people's work. You won't grow unless you cut your own path. Because if you try to use anyone else's map, you just end up going to the wrong place."

Cardin scowl lessened and he stared at Jaune, not intimidating, but merely confused, "Why are you telling me this? You sound like some goodie-two-shoes! I am not even your friends, hell I tried to bully you!"

Jaune smiled, "Because I can see your potential Cardin, you can be great, I know. You just need to understand a few things."

With that Jaune patted his shoulder, began to whistle lightly and made his way down the hall.


	9. Chapter 8

Jaune raised an eyebrow at the message that demanded all the leaders had to meet at Ozpin's office. He had been eating with his friends when his and Ruby's scroll beeped with the message chime. Ruby opted to wait until she was done eating. Jaune didn't think he forgot anything around this time, there was nothing he could think of that was really...

Wait...

The Party between leaders.

Crap!

Jaune shot out of his seat like he had been shocked, knocking over his bottle of water.

Everybody jerked away at the sudden movement and spilled water before they all stared at him.

"Jaune?"

"Oh, I need to do something really quickly, I'll uh, be right back!" Jaune babbled and bolted out of the cafeteria.

* * *

Ozpin wasn't expecting the doors to his office to be slammed open by an irate Arc. Glynda - who had been helping with the time and place of when they would need to be scheduled - started and her hand dropped to her crop.

"I am not going. Don't care, take me out of the video - any and all of them - I refuse to go to that formal party that is nothing more than fancy people in a dick-waving contest." Jaune growled, eyes flashing.

Ozpin blinked, he wasn't expecting Jaune to know what the announcement was about and he wasn't expecting Jaune to vehemently refuse to go at all. Ozpin and Glynda both almost sputtered as they heard the last bit of Jaune's sentence, that was also a bit of a... unexpected definition of the mingling of high-class people.

"Mr. Arc!" Glynda scandalized reprimand cut through the silence.

"I'll take detention and scrub the floors of the main hall rather than go to any sort of party! I don't even know what to do there, no one walks up to the group of awkward hunters-in-training hanging by the punch bowl except for recruiters! That in itself is nothing more than an annoyance since we already go into the top hunter school in Vale, and I personally don't need anymore choices on where to go." Jaune snapped.

Ozpin took a draught of his coffee, idly wishing that Jaune wasn't so oddly perceptive and troublesome, "While I'll admit, some parts of your assessment have some iota of truth to them, we are obligated by society to go to -"

"Yeah... thing is I do not give a damn about what society requires, besides I highly doubt that you always play by the rules Headmaster." Jaune said blandly, standing with his arms crossed stubbornly, "I am half convinced you drag us along just so we share in the misery."

Glynda's mouth dropped open in utter shock and Ozpin tried not to frown.

Oddly enough, they both thought with no small amount of uncertainty, 'That's...not true...?'

Jaune smirked and was about to walk out when suddenly a chill (or heat-wave?) passed through the air, and Jaune instinctively froze.

'Oh crap.' he whimpered in his mind.

He turned to see Glynda Goodwitch, a thin frown on her face (Jaune would prefer a scowl, at least it is a clear indication of how angry she is) and green eyes chilling and - for all the world - looking like she would kick his ass all the way across Remnant and back if he dared utter a sound. Jaune had only received these glares a few scant times, and that too when he had been downright idiotic (like lunging into the middle of a horde of grimm with only his sword, shield, and tattered armor to try to stave them off for sometime while his forces retreated or nearly killing himself when he furiously rampaged through the armies of grimm until he fell face-first onto the floor in senseless exhaustion, worrying his friends half to death) and is duly and utterly terrified of them. He catches Ozpin eyes widening slightly and him subtly sidling away from his former teammate. Jaune wants to bolt but that usually makes his punishment worse.

"Jaune Arc." (Jaune wants to break out in tears and cover his face) she hissed (without her expression changing or her voice actually hissing), "You WILL be going to the party and you WILL NOT complain. You WILL go in formal clothing and WILL look like a dignified member of this school and present yourself as such. Understood?"

Jaune nodded dumbly, he couldn't agree more.

Silence.

"You may leave." Goodwitch supplied.

Needless to say, Jaune could not get out of there fast enough.

The door shut and 5 seconds later there was a frustrated shout of "Monty Freaking Dammit!"

* * *

Jaune stomped his way back to his room (he had been in a freaking war and then shunted back to the past; he was going to be a goddamned childish as he damned well pleased!) fuming over the events that just transpired in Ozpin's office.

Damned Goodwitch Glare.

He cursed loudly and several passing students jumped away in shock.

Jaune took a deep breath and decided just not to show up to the meeting between all the leaders, he could avoid his teammates for the entire week and throw on his school clothing saying he didn't have any other fancy clothing to wear.

They couldn't get angry at him for that could they?

He smirked and strolled up to his room before opening the door, only to see Team RWBY and (J)NPR sitting in his room.

Jaune blinked, "Uh hey, what's everybody doing here?"

Ruby dashed over to him and practically shoved her scroll in his face, "Jaune, Ozpin sent us a message saying that we have to attend a party and we need formal attire."

Jaune grit his teeth behind his tightly clamped lips.

"So bird-rider, we get to go on a shopping trip! Ozpin even let us have money from his pockets! What more, he even said to make sure we get you something."

Jaune frowned, on the inside he was seething, goddammit.

Jaune suddenly grinned sinisterly, "If that's how Ozpin wants to play it... how about we REALLY go on a shopping spree?"

* * *

Jaune smirked as he let the girls run through the shops first, he conveniently 'forgot' that only leaders were going to the party and let his friends run wild with Ozpin's lien card. Jaune leaned against a pillar in the mall, sipping a vanilla-strawberry smoothing topped with whipped-cream and caramel. Jaune smiled when he remembered Weiss trying to not use Ozpin's card and telling her that how she could get a good dig at Ozpin's pride by saying that she was used to buying such pricey clothing and figured the headmaster would be able to afford it, besides she would have to explain being frivolous to anyone who curious.

Weiss grinned at the prospect, Jaune chuckled at how expensive she could be.

Jaune swiped his hair back from his eyes and noticed it was longer than it should have been at the time. He blinked and remembered that his hair had a tendency to grow faster if he began to neglect to use his grimm form. He shifted uncomfortably, he had been trying not to think about it, but as time stretched on there was more than a leak open in the back of his head. It was becoming a steady trickle that was affecting his attitude. Jaune was bumped slightly while walking, and for a brief horrifying moment, Jaune's hands twitched with the intention to grab the offender and throw him or her as far away and as violently as possible. Jaune cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, shunting the thought to the back of his head and clamping down on the suddenly angry hiss that echoed in his head.

Crap, it was worse than he thought.

His grimm was beginning to grow self-aware. Jaune had kept it relatively content in the constant war, but now as a student, there had been no need to use it (all the students - including the fourth years - were pathetically under his level). Jaune took a few deep breaths, channeling his ki to try to soothe the sensation of chaos running through his blood. When he looked up, he saw Ren walking up to him with a glass of tea in his hand and a bag of food.

"Hey Ren." Jaune said, closing his eyes and leaning his head against the cool marble of the pillar.

"You okay, Jaune? You were just looking a bit worried about something." Ren said, setting the bag of food on a table and motioning for Jaune to sit down.

Jaune shrugged and gave a sheepish grin, "Just forgot to write my family a letter or two, my mom tends to worry about me, as do my sisters. I've been fairly busy, so time been a bit scarce."

Ren eyed him, and Jaune knew Ren was calling him out on his bullshit.

Jaune met his eyes steadily, Ren was a good friend, but he should understand that some secrets aren't meant to be shared. His 'ki' training was one thing he agonized over before teaching Jaune towards the middle of the fourth year at Beacon. After Jaune took an attack for him, Ren had paced in front of the infirmary doors in his free time until June had got out. That cemented the idea that even the best of hunters should have a backup plan, and Ren gave his family secrets to Jaune (who decided to use an alternate translation and used the word 'Prana' instead of 'ki' so Ren couldn't be blamed).

Jaune smiled in a reassuring way and pulled out one of the food boxes before breaking a pair of chopsticks and opening the box.

"You know how to use chopsticks?" Ren asked, surprised.

"I figured it would be good to know." Jaune said, playfully clacking his chopsticks together.

Then Yang sat down next to them and swiped up one of the boxes, "You don't mind do you?"

Jaune raised an eyebrow, "If we did would that stop you?"

Yang smirked, "Nope."

Jaune rolled his eyes and smiled fondly, "Well there's plenty of food so dig in. Anyway, how is shopping going?"

Yang smiled widely, "Awesome! I got an awesome dress and didn't have to worry about it thanks to Ozpin!"

Jaune smiled chillingly, "Very good."

By the time everyone gathers and they finish eating and chatting, the mall is closing and curfew is approaching fast; they all scramble to make the airship that'll give a chance to get back to Beacon on time.

* * *

Jaune was standing in front of an passively irate Ozpin as he was trying hard not to burst into laughter at the more-than-pensive-but-less-than-truly-irrtated frown marring Ozpin's face. Jaune knew Ozpin works hard to not show emotion, so even the frown now present on his face was a achievement in its own right.

He sipped his coffee and put the mug down before perching his hands in front of his face, "Mr. Arc, I was surprised to check my balance this morning and find at more than a few times the money expected to be used utterly gone. Seeing as I had lent your team and Team RWBY my card -"

Glynda rolled her eyes and Jaune was willing to bet anything that she mouthed the word 'idiot'.

"- for use yesterday, I would like to know exactly why and how all that money could have been used."

Jaune tilted his head, "Well my team and Team RWBY bought dresses, and since you were kind enough to foot the bill..." Jaune trailed off.

Ozpin massaged his forehead, and Jaune saw the irritation simmering under his skin, "You realize that the Party is only for leaders, don't you?"

Jaune gasped so falsely that Ozpin almost glared, "Oh no, was it?! I wasn't present at the meeting! I didn't know and neither did Ruby. After all you only sent us the message over the scroll, I assumed you would have sent all the detail necessary rather than a simple message that you sent."

Jaune eyes flicked to Glynda and he nearly lost control at the sight of her covering a smile with her sleeve.

Jaune shrugged, "Sorry Headmaster, oh well I am sure someone like you can make up the losses, In the grand scheme of things, a bit of lien won't matter too much."

He turned to leave, "Good day professor, try to be a little more clear next time."

Jaune smiled all the way back to his room.

* * *

Jaune stared at his scroll.

"Really, Ozpin?" he grumbled allowed, "Now you're just trying to spite me."

"Leaders that are going to the party must find an escort. In other words a date. P.S. You can thank Jaune Arc for this little addendum." Ren read from over Jaune's shoulder, "Either people or going to thank or beat you up."

Jaune shrugged, "Well I can't say I saw this coming, I figured Ozpin would be mad, but to either draw the school against, that's just an abuse of power." Jaune sighed, "Whatever..."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Jaune and Ren looked at each other before Ren shrugged and moved to open the door. When he opened it, Ruby was there, red-faced and holding her scroll. She moved past Ren and glared at Jaune.

"Jaune! Why do we have to bring a date?!"

Jaune smiled sheepishly, "Um... I may have peeved Ozpin a bit."

"But how will I get a date?! I'm fifteen and socially-awkward! I don't know anyone!" She cried, waving her arms.

Jaune looked at Ren who was hiding a smile behind his hand, "Your on your own." Ren mouthed.

Jaune clapped a hand on her shoulder, "How about I take you?"

Ruby stared at him,and flushed red, "What?"

"How about I take you to the Party as a date?" Jaune offered mildly.

"What?!"

Ren, Ruby, and Jaune looked at the door to see Pyrrha, Yang, and Weiss all standing in the hallway, surprise and shock evident in their forms. Before and could think to stop her and explain the situation, Yang rushed forward, grabbed Jaune's collar and began to bodily drag him toward Team RWBY's room.

"Come in, and you all will regret it." Yang hissed.

"Wait, Yang it's not like that!" Ruby pleaded as the door slammed closed.

* * *

Jaune was tossed onto the floor.

Or at least he was supposed to, but he quickly tapped Yang's arm which went numb for a split second. In that brief moment he twisted away and spun the chair at their desk so he could sit comfortably.

"I know what you're thinking." He said without any preamble.

Yang glared, her gauntlets covering her hands.

"Jaune -"

"I am not dating Ruby." He interrupted, explaining quickly "You see, Ozpin was mad for you guys using so much money and confronted me about it, I said too bad - in essence - and left his office. So, to spite me he says everyone has to have a date for the leader party. Since Ruby doesn't any boys really well yet besides me and Ren, I offered to take her because we are already going by default and it'll save us both some trouble. Satisfied?"

Yang blinked, "Wait you mean you're not putting the moves on my little sis?"

"No, and before you ask, it's not because she isn't cute or something equally ridiculous. Ruby a very special girl, adorable, quirky, and fun to be around, but at the moment I personally don't think either one of us are interested in a relationship." Jaune replied.

Yang stared at him and he gazed back calmly.

"Fine, I believe you, but if you're going to be going on date - friend or no - you can't go unless you go in fashion." Yang said, smirking.

Jaune jaw dropped, "What?"

* * *

Jaune found himself being dragged to the same shops he was the first time.

Did he mention he was literally tied up?

With metal cordage?

How the hell did Yang even get this?

How the hell did they even rig a metal net wrap device under the chair?

Jaune squirmed and writhed, under normal circumstance he would just let loose his aura in a burst, or shred the cords using his wings, but it was dangerous in both scenarios. A uncontrolled burst of aura could hurt others (especially with a an amount as large as his), a small pulse wouldn't undo the cables, and sprouting grimm wings and bones anywhere where people could see was just a bad idea no matter how you slice it. He cold use his semblance, but it wasn't worth the trouble, besides maybe someone with decency would help him.

Though judging at the stern talking to that Yang had given everyone, that probably wouldn't happen.

Jaune began to contemplate if he should use his second semblance when a hand grabbed the cords and undid them in a few moments.

"Now Bird-rider, don't make me put those back on." Yang threatened.

Jaune glared and got up, "You won't be able to now that I can move. Besides, I already know what I am going to wear!"

"What would that be?"

"My uniform."

Yang shook her head in sheer amazement/pity, "Bird-rider, You know that the party is formal right?"

Jaune rolled his eyes, "Yes, but I hate formal and my school outfit is more than enough, to qualify as formal."

Needless to say, Yang disagreed.

* * *

Jaune sighed as he was given the exact same suit as last time, and rolled his eyes as the girls treated him like a model. When he got back to his room he put the box with the suit inside it at the bottom of his closet, before anyone else could walk in.

Maybe he could pretend to forget where he put it if he put it there and no one would look there.


	10. Chapter 9

Jaune hand clasped Ruby's as they slowly waltzed to the music playing from the radio as Weiss watched with a critical eye. Yang had roped everyone she could into helping, though as it turned out, Jaune didn't have much to learn. He had already learned all of this before, but he was chosen to practice with Ruby so that she could get used to dancing with him. Ruby had sputtered and tried to stutter out a protest, but Yang being well... Yang, literally hauled Ruby (kicking and screaming) over the shoulder to the empty classroom they had gotten permission to use.

Ruby picked up quickly and her blush steadily declined after day one. Jaune smiled and spun her around in one circle before setting her back on the ground, taking a step away, and bowing as the song ended. Ruby initially had a huge problem dancing in high heels and constantly complained from the ache. Yang looked sympathetic but was unable to help until Jaune suggested that she simply wear stylized black ballet flats. Ruby thanked him profusely before he had laughed, said 'you're welcome', and ruffled her hair.

"Very good. Ruby really has learned to dance well." Weiss praised.

Ruby cheered, "Ha, I told you I could do it Jaune!"

Jaune smirked, "I didn't have a doubt, though I have to admit getting you to get all angry and pout at me was so worth it."

Ruby flushed and punched him in the shoulder, "I knew it!"

* * *

Jaune went down the to the lab and poured the concoction he had finally finished brewing into a vial. He sighed as he placed the vial inside a pocket in his belt.

"Finally, it took way too long for all the components to finish mixing but I got what I needed so that's good." He murmured as he began putting away materials.

"And what exactly did you get?" a voice asked.

Jaune whirled, "Weiss?"

The Schnee Company heiress was standing at the doorway to the lab, arms crossed. She crossed over to the desk Jaune was working at in a few strides. Her eyes swept over the table in a quick check. She blinked, the materials that he had apparently been working with, weren't supposed to go together, it very well could blow up in someone's face.

"What were you making?" She asked half in sheer worry.

Jaune smiled sheepishly, "I was trying to make an explosive?"

Weiss turned on him, "You could have killed yourself! These ingredients explode if they touch, do you want to burn your face off?"

Jaune leaned back, he was trying to play dumb and it was hard. He supposed he knew why the people who acted dumb were always so petulant when they could stop.

It was bloody exhausting.

After a tirade from Weiss, followed by a quick calming down speech of his own, Jaune quickly made his way from the lab, telling Weiss he had some training to squeeze in.

Well he didn't, but he figured it had been some time since he had worked on his faunus style emulation...

* * *

"Left! Right! Fall and retreat!" Jaune recited from his practice katas with Ren.

He flipped forward to land on his left hand before pushing off his hand and landing on his right hand. He pushed slightly with the heel of his hand, and he fell onto his back before rolling to the side as though he was rolling away from an attack. Ren had been a merciless teacher, and Jaune felt half-dead after some of his earlier practice sessions, though honestly Jaune felt they were more beat-downs rather than sparring. Even so, Jaune worked hard and Ren had been pleased, though while training he never showed it. Jaune hopped back onto the balls of his feet and cartwheeled forward, launching a double axe kick that dug two jagged holes into the ground. Rolling back Jaune clenched his fist and with a yell he twisted and threw a punch towards a tree.

Jaune's hand smashed through the trunk and Jaune blew out a breath, he withdrew his hand and absently brushed off the splinters. He still wasn't back to full strength, granted he was getting there, but this was taking to long since he couldn't go all out anymore. He glanced around, making sure no one was in the vicinity and let his grimm bone gauntlets shoot out of his skin. He flexed his hand a few times before throwing a few jabs at a nearby tree, which shuddered despite the lighting quick impacts.

Jaune slammed his fist into the ground, trying to release as much pent up irritation as he could. The ground cratered under his fist, and dust rolled out across the clearing. His dragon claws - two jagged and serrated claws (like wolverine except two black claws per fist)- erupted from the knuckles of the bone gauntlet and Jaune began to dance across the clearing, slashing down invisible foes. Jaune dimly sensed a few people and he quickly dispersed his gauntlets into black mist before they arrived. He turned just in time to see Cardin and his team walk into the clearing, surprise visible on their faces.

"Arc?" Cardin asked, sounding confused.

They scanned the clearing, paling as they saw all the dented and sliced trees and craters in the ground.

"Holy crap..." Russel whimpered, "Did you do this?"

"Nope." Jaune said, rolling his shoulders, "I heard about this clearing through the grapevine and decided to check it out, was pretty much in this condition, maybe several people are already using it."

"Oh." Sky mumbled, sounding intensely relieved.

Jaune was about to walk by them when Cardin held out a hand, "By the way Arc, I have a bone to pick with you!"

Jaune looked confused, "What did I do?"

"Because of you all the leaders now have to find dates! I still haven't got one!" Cardin growled.

Jaune grimaced, "It wasn't my intention to make Ozpin petulant..."

"Either way, you're going to have to pay!" Cardin grumbled, hefting his mace.

Jaune sighed, and didn't even bother unsheathing his sword as he activated his aura which began to condense around his arms, "Really? You want to fight me?"

Cardin hesitated, he remembered exactly how outclassed he was in their spar, and he knew that even if Jaune didn't use his sword, he was dangerous.

REALLY dangerous.

Jaune smiled, "Thought so, smart move. You just jumped a notch up in my book Cardin."

Russel and Dove both tensed, hands drifting down to their respective belts. Cardin suddenly put a hand out towards them.

"Don't." He commanded through his tightly gritted teeth, "We can't beat him. At least, not yet."

Russel, Dove, and even Sky stared at him, their jaws falling open. Cardin never said they couldn't beat someone! He was always willing to attack!

Jaune walked by Team CRDL, bidding them good day.

* * *

Jaune groaned as he leaned back in the library chair, throwing an arm over his eyes. His little excursion into the clearing hadn't helped all that much, the only way he was going to calm ANY of his irritation stemming from his grimm form probably would take a leisurely stroll through the Emerald Forest, and that wasn't going to happen alone. He needed a way to use his grimm powers, without actually using his grimm powers...

"Damn, I can't think of anything!" He grouched.

"Something wrong Jaune?" a voice asked jolting him out of his angry musing, his instincts screamed at him to lash out.

'Deep breath.' He thought.

Jaune turned to see Blake seating herself next to him.

"Oh hey," Jaune sighed, trying to grin, "It's nothing."

"Don't lie." Blake deadpanned.

Blake was worried about him, everyone was. It didn't help that all of his friends saw how tense Jaune was this past week, even when he was asleep -hunched up against a wall instead of on the bed (much to everyone's private perplexity and/or concern) - he would shift restlessly and looking more and more wired everyday. After waving off another inquisition about how he was doing with a weary smile and a small "I'm fine", they decided to send someone to specifically check on him. Blake had been chosen and was in the library by chance when the blonde knight walked in looking more haggard then was probably healthy.

Jaune rolled his eyes, "I needed to find a secluded place where I can train, and nowhere I can think of off the top of my head... accommodates the special needs I have in regards to my training."

Blake blinked in surprise but nodded, looking sympathetic, "I know how you feel, I know the peace you get when alone. I rather like it."

Jaune nodded, letting her draw her own conclusions. When she looked away, he stabbed his nails into his thigh under the table. His boiling anger began to simmer back into irritation under the pain.

"Not to say I dislike spending time with you or any of my friends." Blake continued, looking slightly guilty, "I am glad you guys are so accepting, it's just..."

"You need some time to yourself, I get that." Jaune replied shrugging, "As I said, a place where I can train alone."

Blake nodded, "Why not train with everyone though?"

Jaune sighed and ran a hand through his shaggy hair, "I have a slight condition... one could say. I might not be able to control myself if I start sparring with anyone these days."

Blake eyebrows raised in surprise, "You? Of all people you, fly into a rage?"

Jaune smiled weakly, "Yeah, certain times - I don't know why - I'll lose it, and I can hurt people badly. I've been holding back, but well..."

"The urge?"

Jaune shrugged in a resigned way, "Yeah, it's mainly primal emotions, not complicated stuff."

Blake patted his shoulder, and a jolt rippled through Jaune's system, he clenched his fist tightly under the desk, digging his nails in even deeper. Blake blinked as she saw him grimace and stiffen, her eyes widening almost comically.

"Jaune?" She asked, highly concerned, "How bad is it?"

He grinned a forced smile, his voice pitch low, "Not good."

"Do you think a teach-"

"No!" He hissed, he took a deep breath and began to pack, "I'll try to burn off some energy, maybe that'll help."

He stiffly walked out of the library.

* * *

Jaune held his head under the shower in JNPR's room and turned it on cold. The cold helped him stave off what felt like his overheated blood burning through his veins.

"Blake saw...that's gonna come back to bite me in the ass later..." He sighed.

He stripped off his hoodie so his clothing wouldn't get soaked as he toweled himself off. He needed to sneak out, if he didn't he might just snap.

Besides it was at the leader Party where he saw his dear old uncle Simultus and his lapdog Matchitehew, if he saw them in this state, he would rip them apart with no care for the consequences.

Tonight, he needed out, tonight.

* * *

Jaune didn't waste any time when he left his room. Using his second semblance the moment everyone had fully fallen asleep, he melted away for a few minutes before reforming outside and next to the Emerald Forest. He slid down the cliff and landed with no sound. He closed his eyes and saw the dark pool of chaotic energy swirling like a storm.

The monster within his psyche purred in delight as he tapped into the chaos.

He drew it in with a smirk that bordered on insane.

Bones began erupting from his body as the black mist of his transformation began to swirl around him.

Chest.

Back.

Arms.

Legs.

The bones creaked and groaned as they slid over his body, like a bony and bastardized version of knight armor. He drew Crocea Mors except the black mist of his grimm form began to coalesce at the blade, turning it pitch black and the handle (handgrip wrap included) into a deep blood-red. His shield turned the same pitch black and the double crescent design took on a orange hue with gold trim. Two black draconic wings shot out of his back and tore apart the trees around as they stretched for the first time in days. A bone tail shot out of the bottom of his spine, whipping erratically through the air before curling around his waist. Finally, bones slid out of his neck to slide over his face, his eyes shifted from blue to violet to a deep blood red. His hair darkened and flashed black for a split second before remaining yellow.

The distorted and raspy laugh filled with savage glee rumbled from his chest.

Now, time to find some fresh meat.

* * *

The beowolf's limp body fell from his grasp as he tossed it aside. He spun to face the rest of the pack while his sword suddenly began to turn lighter and become more grey rather than black. Jaune sighed, his channeling his grimm essence into his weapon was meager at best; it be so much easier to satisfy his grimm if he just had a proper grasp on the concepts on channeling. However, his grimm energy was chaotic in nature and channeling it was still hard. He'd need to work on that. He dodged a charge from one beowolf before slicing it in half and having his wings bat aside the halves. The last beowolf - the pack leader - backed away from him hackles raised as he walked forward.

"Stay a little longer little pup..." He crooned.

It whirled about, intent on running away when a white aura chain stabbed through its head. That was the seventh pack he had run into, and with each dead grimm, more and more of the tension that had been twisting through his veins.

"Well," Jaune mumbled to himself, rolling his shoulders, "That was mildly refreshing, I feel a lot better."

Then he noticed his armor was splattered with grimm blood.

God the smell was still as atrocious as ever.

"Urk... That's gonna be a problem..." He looked in the night sky and saw a decent sized cloud. He crouched and kicked off the ground, launching himself into the air as his wings pumped, propelling him through the air. He shot into the cloud and the wetness of the water molecules washed against him, washing the blood off his bony armor. He flipped and let his wings grow still as he began to fall back to the earth. He began to slide through the air , letting the bone helmet that covered his face break apart into aura. Jaune let the wind caress his face and the fingers of the wind slide through his hair. He went through a few complex maneuvers in the air before diving towards the ground again. He laughed as the wind pressed against him before he flapped his wings to give a stop before landing.

"Yeah... This should be enough." He said, letting his bone armor crack and shatter, "I should head back.

* * *

Jaune stretched languidly as he made his way back to his dorm room. He opened the door only to come face to face with a angry Pyrrha, Ren, and a stern-faced Nora.

"Where were you?"

Jaune was a bit taken aback, "I wanted to take a walk."

Pyrrha's glare didn't lessen, "In the middle of the night? What about the curfew? Do you want to get detention?"

Jaune began to get a little bit suspicious, "I won't get caught if you're that worried! Monty, Pyrrha, what's bringing this on?"

"Jaune we are worried!"

"About what?" Jaune said, eyes narrowing, "What could I have possibly done to worry you?!"

"Your lifestyle isn't healthy! We are all worried about you!" She said, desperation beginning to seep into her voice, "We know you have your secrets, but please, tell us why you almost never eat, you barely sleep, and why you have been getting more and more agitated over the last few weeks! Let us help you!"

Oh, so that was what brought this inquisition on, Blake must have told them all about his urges.

Ren gave a nod and Nora bounced over patting Jaune on the shoulder, "We want to help you fearless leader!"

Jaune sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted, "Look Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, I know you guys want to, all of you, want to help me. But you can't. Not you won't, you CAN'T."

Pyrrha opened her mouth, but Ren cut her off, placing a hand on her shoulder and looking hard at Jaune.

Jaune was looking down, shame etched in his face as he stared at the floor. His shoulders were hunched and he looked like he wanted to do nothing more. He wanted to tell them. So, so badly. He just couldn't.

Ren sighed, he didn't like it, but he knew that pushing this would only anger Jaune, but he did have something to say.

He placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder and led him out into the hallway.

"Look," Ren began, "Jaune. We care, and you told me you trust us. I have no doubt about that. I trust you because your sincere and besides, I could sense your not lying. Pyrrha, Nora, Ruby, Yang, Blake, and Weiss aren't like me though. You need to give us something."

Jaune sagged against the wall, looking resigned but not in the way Ren hoped, "Ren. Believe me. I WANT to. My secrets feel like they are eating me from the inside out, but I cannot, under any circumstance tell anyone. Why can't they just accept I don't eat as much as other people and I don't sleep all that much? I told Blake about my violent tendencies, what more do you people want?"

Ren placed a hand on his shoulder, "While I can admit I am surprised, and worried, those are the least of my worries when it comes to you. I was like you once, I thought I couldn't tell anyone anything, then Nora came in and yanked me out of my shell, regardless of my opinions."

Ren and Jaune chuckled and a comfortable silence settled over the two boys.

Jaune sighed, "I assume Blake was collaborating with you guys."

Ren shrugged, "True, though in my defense I was sure you'd tell us in time."

Jaune smiled weakly, "Yeah, I mean I know as a leader I leave a lot to be desired when it comes to telling secrets. I can tell you a few things, it's just, telling you would leave you with more worries."

* * *

Team RWBY noticed the silent tension between Jaune and the members of his team. Jaune hadn't looked up once and Pyrrha kept eyeing with some sort of longing pity. Nora was talking to Ren, but pausing to glance at the blonde knight, looking worried. Ren had been gazing at the knight, not accusing, but with a sad sort of sympathy.

Jaune sighed, "I'll be back in time for the party."

And with that the blonde knight left, he couldn't take the stares.

* * *

Jaune stood on the edge of the cliff that overlooked the Emerald Forest. Ozpin said that he found peace in simply looking out over the massive land and just letting himself think.

He had been at it for a while. An hour or two.

Jaune sat on the ground and leaned back, resting on his hands. Ozpin was right. With the wind whistling and the sounds of nature, Jaune allowed himself to be swept up by the melody of nature and shoved his worries down. He began to try to pick apart what he could tell his team and what he couldn't.

"Something wrong?"

Jaune looked up to see Ozpin strolling over, coffee mug in hand.

"Hello, Headmaster. Yes, but it's a bit too complicated, I might not be able to fix it."

"For a man of your potential, you'll have to forgive me if I find that a hard pill to swallow."

"Not at all." drawled Jaune, "If you want to be alone, I am sure I can find a quiet corner in the library."

"To the contrary, I was hoping that I could find some company?"

"Ms. Goodwitch was too busy?"

"Yes."

"I see."

"..."

"..."

"You realize that we are here to help you, right, Mr. Arc?"

Jaune groaned, "Not this speech..."

Ozpin chuckled slightly, "You're very different from what I expected."

Jaune grinned, "Wow, so the mighty Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon Academy can be shocked."

Ozpin rolled his eyes, "I am human after all."

Jaune laughed, "I would hope so, be weird to find out you're a grimm wearing a suit or something like that."Jaune got up, brushing dirt of his pants, "I think I waited long enough, I have a party to prepare for after all."

"Mr. Arc?"

"Hm?"

"You may find that burdens that you carry can't be ignored forever, try trusting them with at least a few bits of yourself. People do thrive of kind and trusting human interaction."

Jaune sighed, "When I find the cameras Headmaster, you can be sure I will sue you for spying on me."

"Oh good luck on finding them then." Ozpin replied lightly.


	11. Chapter 10

**Special Thanks to Ghost Fire 6 for the OCs!**

* * *

Jaune dressed himself in the suit and stared at the tie. He had at one time been able to tie a tie (largely thanks to Pyrrha's instruction) but after going through war for so long, tying a tie became one of those skills he had allowed himself to forget. Glynda had 'insisted' he be formal, maybe if he dodged her long enough it would be to late to change it. Of course that was whether or not he was willing to face her wrath.

'Damn, I have no idea how the hell to do this...' He thought morbidly, 'Maybe I can go without it...'

"Do you want some help?" Pyrrha asked.

Jaune turned to find Pyrrha looking at him, there was still that tension, but it had lessened, if only slightly.

Jaune nodded, smiling thankfully.

"Thank you so much Pyrrha, you're a godsend. Monty knows how to tie this thing, I try to forgo any traditional tying ones and insist on clip on ties." Jaune said, sighing in relief.

She smiled,despite the red creeping up her neck, "Well you should learn, here let me tell you how..."

She placed her hands over his and gently led him through the motions to tie the tie (Jaune made sure to memorize the motions). Just then the door opened, and Ruby walked in.

"Hey Jaune? Are you ready...?" she froze and flushed as she saw Pyrrha pressed up against his back.

"Oh hey," Jaune replied casually, "Pyrrha's just giving me a hand with my tie. Whoever the hell designed these probably invented lynching I swear..."

Ruby mouth dropped into an 'o' of understanding, "Oh, okay, but you have to hurry! Goodwitch is going to be coming soon to round up the students soon!"

Pyrrha tightened the tie just right and Jaune cracked his neck from side to side, "Thanks Pyrrha, you rock."

She flushed, "No problem, my mother always told me that if you want to avoid waking up to swearing, make sure you know how to tie a tie so you can teach a man to do it for himself."

Jaune chuckled and clipped Corcea Mors to his side (he was never leaving his weapon anywhere, despite being able to call it to him), "You'll have to introduce me to the wise woman."

"I will." she said.

At this point Ruby grabbed Jaune's arm, "Come on! I think she's coming!"

Jaune began dragged out of the room and said, "Have fun at the sleepover!" to Pyrrha.

* * *

Jaune walked behind Ruby and noticed the red dress she was wearing. It was simple but but fitted Ruby's form and flowed like a red waterfall. slight gold trimming outlined the edges and a filigree black patter surrounded the neckline.

"Wow, Ruby you look knockout." Jaune said simply.

"Oh... Um... Thanks!" She managed.

"Did you pick this dress out?"

"Yang helped."

"She has good tastes in clothing." Jaune said idly, "Of course, if she keeps this up, she may have to carry a stick around, boys'll be lining up for you."

Ruby flushed and her gaze dropped to her feet as Jaune ruffled the hair on her head.

Goodwitch walked up and eyed them critically before nodding, "You both look acceptable, come now, we are wasting time."

Jaune patted Ruby head, "Don't worry, coming from her that's just short of a confession." He said in a conspiratorial whisper.

Ruby smothered a snicker and Glynda turned and raised an eyebrow, she didn't hear him.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Goodwitch, is something wrong?" Jaune said smirking.

She sighed in a long-suffering manner and gestured to them to keep moving.

* * *

Going to the party wasn't exactly as eventful as Jaune remembered. Jaune kept to the back wall, chatting with Ruby. Observing more than trying to mingle, this way, he could avoid all the recruiters or people he had no desire to converse with. Jaune sighed and downed the last of his drink. Yang was going to wheedle the details out of Ruby and Ruby would relay everything, willing or not. Jaune supposed he might as well try to show Ruby as much a good time as possible.

"Well Ruby, I don't think we've practiced dancing for a week only to stand around." Jaune held out his hand with a grin, "May I have this dance, Milady?"

Ruby grinned and took his hand, "Of course!"

Jaune led her out to the dance floor and they waltzed together as a new song started.

"You know, I really don't mind waltzing, it's just I prefer something more modern."Jaune said as he maneuvered around another couple.

"I know how you feel." Ruby sighed, "This classy music is for old people."

Jaune glanced around, "Please learn to think before you speak, if anyone heard you they'd give you a fifteen minute dressing down, and trust me it's doesn't sound like something bad, but it freaking blows."

Ruby looked at him, "And this you -" she had to focus to not yelp as he lifted her and set her back down, "- k-know this how?"

Jaune shrugged, "I have met my fair share of people who like classical, I happen to like some of the older works myself. But only when I am relaxing and trying to clear my head."

He scanned the crowd and suddenly saw someone who he had hoped to god that he would avoid this time around and never have to see in this lifetime ever again.

Simultus.

His mouth was twisted in a pleased and speculative line as he saw Jaune and made sure to nod his head in acknowledgment when their eyes met.

Fury coursed through Jaune's veins, his inner grimm began to stir in anticipation. Jaune bared an involuntary scowl, teeth gritted, and his eyes beginning to shift. His aura began to -

No.

Calm.

Control.

Jaune's anger that rushed to surface at seeing the man simmered under his skin. Despite his speedy recovery, Ruby immediately noticed and her gaze turned sharp.

"What's wrong?" she asked, glancing to the sides.

Jaune sucked in a deep breath and closed his eyes, "I saw something really, really bad. Ruby you'll have to forgive me, but I won't be able to take the next waltz with you."

Ruby features turned downcast, "Oh."

Jaune looked down in reproach, "Don't you dare think it's because of you. I really am enjoying myself for the first time in a while, but if who I saw decides to approach, I don't want you there."

Ruby glanced at him, "I should be there, for support and stuff!"

Jaune closed his eyes, sighing, "While I know you want to, trust me on this Ruby, you want to steer clear...After I leave, if a hulking guy with red-hair and a mace strapped to his back asks you for a dance. You have to say no."

Jaune eyed the speakers the song was about to wind down, "Do you have anyone who you can hang out with? Anyone at all?"

Ruby frowned, "I don't think...Wait, one of Yang's friends is here! Her name is Sirena Wave, she was a friend of Yang's from Signal, she is part of a three-member support group, they still need one more person but she is standing in as a leader at the moment-"

"Ruby, focus." Jaune said, "Can you trust her?"

Ruby answered with no hesitation, "Yeah."

Jaune sighed, "Find her and tell her not to let the red-haired guy near you, okay? I'll be back an then we can have another dance, okay?"

Ruby nodded and as they separated Ruby quickly made her way into the crowd while Jaune headed in the opposite direction.

His eyes flashed red.

* * *

Jaune made his way to the rooftop and waited at the edge as he felt a spark of a human approach him.

The door creaked as it opened. Jaune bit back the urge to draw Crocea Mors from his sheath and behead the man coming up from behind him.

"Well, well, well..." Simultus drawled, "Who do we have here?"

"An old, shriveled dickwad," Jaune replied, "and an student at Beacon."

Simultus blinked and chuckled, "You've got quite the tongue on you boy."

Jaune smirked inwardly, "Can't handle it old man? Not surprised, men of your age often lack the stamina."

Simultus hated being reminded of his age, and his relationship status or lack there of.

Jaune felt Simultus' anger and laughed, "Is that all you're capable of? I felt worse from people my age."

Jaune turned and saw Simultus striding over to him until they were about a foot apart.

"So you actually got into Beacon." Simultus sounded properly amazed, as if Jaune wouldn't get in.

"I did, does it matter? You were hoping I'd be choosing your train wreck of a school?" Jaune said smiling smugly, "I am surprised you can still walk without a cane to support you."

Simultus scowled, "You changed."

"I matured. As for you, you're still the pathetic old man who failed to be the leader."

Simultus eyes narrowed, "Watch yourself boy."

Jaune raised an eyebrow, "Or what? You'll attack me? We both know security will catch your aura flare, you can't beat me without using it."

Simultus laughed at this, "I could smash into the ground without any effort, you're no hunter yet, just a hunter-in-training."

Jaune grin widened and his slowly began to let his killer intent leak past the strict control he kept it under. Simultus' eyes widened and he took a step back. Jaune began to walk forward increasing the pressure, letting his hate and anger build. Beads of sweat began to form on Simultus' upper brow. Jaune kept walking towards him and soon they were at the edge of the building. Jaune hand shot out - catching the man's collar - and dragged the monster an inch from his face. He could see the fear.

Good.

The fear was good.

"Here is your only warning, consider it an act of respect since you are of the Arc bloodline, despite being nothing more than scum." Jaune said, his voice sharper than steel yet more frigid than the coldest of snowstorms, "Stay away from me and my friends. If you don't, I will find you and no matter where you hide, whatever shit-covered corner of hell you sequester yourself away in, I will find you. And after I break you and you will beg for death, I won't deliver and leave you to your insanity."

Jaune shoved the man sideways and watched as Simultus rolled fluidly into a crouch before straightening. Simultus sneered and brushed off his coat.

"Don't think you have the ability to beat me simply because you have the intent, boy." Simultus advised.

Jaune turned away, "I don't intend to defeat you. I intend to BREAK you."

Jaune calmly made his way to the door down back into the hall, "Goodbye, Uncle. Do hesitate to write."

* * *

Jaune made his way over to Ruby but found her behind an irritated tiger faunus facing an even more irritated Matchitehew Dalgus.

The tiger faunus had a curvy figure - reminding Jaune of Blake due to her stance - and had indigo tiger stripes on her forearms. Her eyes were tilted upward slightly, giving them a catlike appearance. Her hair was white-tipped, shoulder length, blue hair that were combed to gracefully frame her face. Her dress was an ocean blue that had sparkling gems sown into the short-sleeve edge. Matchitehew had a normal suit on except his shirt and tie were both a deep blood-red.

Jaune hand twitched towards Crocea Mors.

Although it would be in poor tastes for him to behead someone at a party in the middle of the hall.

"Look you damn idiot! She said she WILL NOT dance with you, and if you keep hounding her like this, I will kick you where it hurts the most!" The Faunus growled.

"Maybe she does except you can't understand anything except grunts and growls you damn animal!" Match argued.

"May I cut in?" Jaune said, sliding smoothly between the two.

Ruby sighed as she saw Jaune, she was getting worried.

"Come now this is a party, let's try not to fight." Jaune said pushing the two apart.

Match knocked off Jaune's arm and glared at him, "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.

"I happen to be Miss Rose's escort, a matter of some personal business happened to occur and despite my protests couldn't be stalled." Jaune said, his voice smoothly becoming cordial and polite, with just a hint of apology, "Sorry if I gave the impression she was alone at this party, I didn't mean to cut in, but I had promised Ruby a dance."

With that Jaune nodded politely at the Faunus who he assumed to be Sirena, and moved next to Ruby, gently clasping her hand.

"Sorry, that took more time than I wanted." Jaune whispered.

"It's alright, who is that guy?"

Jaune grimaced, "Related to the bad thing I saw earlier."

"Ah. I see." Ruby said.

* * *

Jaune, Ruby, and Sirena all sat at a table, sipping at their various drinks (both Sirena and Jaune vehemently refused to give her a drink that contained any alcohol). Ruby traced a finger around the rim of her cup of soda, a bored frown clear on her features.

"I'm bored..." she grumbled.

"I know, I just want to go back to Beacon. At least I could play apps or something on my scroll." Jaune groaned, scrubbing a hand over his face.

Sirena and Jaune got to talking, so Jaune had learned that Sirena wave was a tiger Faunus, loved the ocean, and was raised by a single mother. Jaune had not asked why or any other insensitive questions. He told her about his family and his seven sisters and how they taught him to dance. Jaune talked about his mom and dad, and how they did their best to train him. Ruby had talked about her father and Uncle teaching her and Yang, building Crescent Rose and making it more and more awesome.

Finally, after an hour of idle chatting - in which Jaune kept an eye out for either Match or Simultus (to his suspicion, they seemed to leave earlier than the last time around) - Ozpin told them they were finally able to leave. Ruby almost let out an exuberant whoop at the news. Sirena sighed and rolled her shoulders.

"You okay?" Jaune asked as he stretched slightly.

"Yeah, just I am in agreement with Ruby when it comes to all this stuff, it's too boring." She sighed, smirking, "I thought this was your sort of scene, you seemed pretty comfortable."

Jaune snorted derisively, "You best be joking, I can barely stand these sort of social gatherings. I only went because Glynda Goodwitch forced me to. I personally would have cleaned every blackboard in Beacon. Not to mention Ozpin forced everyone to get a date for this shindig just to spite me."

Sirena was pretty laid-back, but loved teasing others, which evident in her next sentence, "Oh didn't you enjoy dancing with Ruby?"

Jaune rolled his eyes, "First of all, any negative answer to that will make it's way to a certain brawler's ears, and I have no desire to have to fight the inferno, it's too troublesome. Second, I did enjoy dancing with Ruby, but to be honest the rest of the night was either boring, painful, or just downright exhausting."

"You want to take a nap, you barely did any dancing." Sirena raised an eyebrow.

"We danced a lot thank you very much!" Ruby interrupted, "I am personally exhausted!"

Jaune sighed, he thinks Ruby may be picking up on Wiess' personality, and that was a can of worms he had no desire to open, "Come on, let's go, if we keep this up, we might very well miss the flight."

Jaune felt a chill crawl up his spin in the ship and looked back at the city they were leaving behind.

* * *

"I want to get in contact with The Blue Flash. I don't care how you do it, just make sure he will be willing to do the job." Simultus said into his scroll.

"Why? What do you need a mercenary for?" One of his aides asked.

"I want to put a hit on a young man named Jaune Arc." Simultus growled.

"It will be done sir."

"Good." Simultus said as he leaned back, "One way or another Jaune, you will bend to my will, especially if you have become that strong."


End file.
